Heichal HaTorah by Jewish Link Marketing Solutions

Heichal Is My Home Bais

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Heichal HaTorah is dedicated to providing a classic yeshiva education and superior general studies program with excitement, warmth, and passion for growth.

heichalhatorah.org

Heichal strikes the perfect balance between limudei kodesh, limudei chol, physical activity, spiritual growth, derech eretz, and time for the students to hang out. There is support for the talmidim on all levels. The administration actually listens to the parent body and is very supportive. I feel that my son is in the best possible place to facilitate his growth and development on many levels. I can’t say enough about this incredible Yeshiva. AVI LASTER, HEICHAL PARENT

26 S U MMER MEGA S IYUM Most of the boys who complete the masechta during the past yeshiva year review the masechta again over the summer.

Introduction

General Studies

MISSION p6

MESSAGE FROM RABBI MACCABEE AVISHUR p34

MESSAGE FROM RAV ARYEH STECHLER p8

CURRICULUM p36 TIKVAH DEPARTMENT p38

Limudei Kodesh MESSAGE FROM RAV AVI OBERLANDER p12

MATH DEPARTMENT p44

CURRICULUM p14

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT p46

REBBEIM p16 SPECIAL LEARNING PROGRAMS p30

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT p50 HISTORY DEPARTMENT p52

48 APPLI ED SC I ENC ES TRAC K Students in this applied science course will use information learned from the basic sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics, for practical endeavors.

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Limudei Kodesh

general studies

HEI C HAL FEATUR E D IN T HE WALL ST RE E T JO URNAL Jerusalem Meets Athens in New Jersey

guidance

Features

MESSAGE FROM DR. ARIEL KLEIN p56

WHY DO I LOVE TEACHING AT HEICHAL? p92

SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE p58 ISRAEL GUIDANCE p60 COLLEGE GUIDANCE p61

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CONTENTS

Guidance

INSPIRED TEFILAH AT HEICHAL p94 HEICHAL BY THE NUMBERS p96 HEICHAL ALUMNI p100

Student Life MESSAGE FROM RAV AVI EPSTEIN p66 SHABBATONIM p69 CLUBS p70

G EDOLEI YI SRO EL

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EDUCATI O NA L T RIP S At Heichal, we firmly believe that learning should not be limited to a classroom setting.

Throughout the school year, Heichal talmidim are fortunate enough to meet and hear from a broad variety of world-renowned Torah personalities

SPORTS p72 SPECIAL DAYS p75

Admissions ADMISSIONS PROCESS p89

student life

G RA DUATION

TEHI LI M-A-THO N

Admissions

features

HEICHAL MISSIO heichalhatorah.org

‫כ י הם ח י י נ ו‬ L IMU D EI KODES H AT HEI C HAL HATO RAH Limudei Kodesh is the cornerstone of our yeshiva. We strive to develop our talmidim into true b’nei Torah who view life through the prism of Torah. Our rigorous limudei kodesh curriculum of Gemara (Iyun and Bekius), as well as Chumash, Halacha, Machshava and Chassidus, gives the talmidim the skills to learn on their own. Our goal is to provide an inspirational Yeshiva experience and ensure that our talmidim develop a love for Torah learning that will continue to grow for the rest of their lives.

P R EPA RING STU DEN TS FOR CO L L EG E A ND THEIR CAR EERS: G EN ERAL STU DIES AT HEI C HAL HATO RAH Heichal’s rigorous general studies curriculum exceeds the requirements of the State of New Jersey. Small, tracked classes enable each student to excel in our core, elective, and Advanced Placement courses. These courses prepare students to excel in their SAT and ACT exams and their college careers. Accepted into the colleges of their choice, Heichal graduates have been awarded substantial academic scholarships.

CA R I NG FOR EACH NES HAM A L IK E IT’S OU R OWN CHILD: G U IDA NCE AT H EICHA L HATO RAH The development and growth of each of our students is integral to the Heichal mission. Our administration, Director of Guidance, Mashgiach, Mashpiah rebbeim and faculty dedicate individual attention to each talmid in order to guide his academic, spiritual and emotional growth. Our small, tight-knit yeshiva environment affords the talmidim the opportunity to form meaningful relationships with the over 50 members of the Heichal staff.

EV ERY DAY AT H EI CH A L IS AWES OME: ST UDEN T L IFE AT H EI CH A L H ATORA H Heichal offers an array of sports and extracurricular opportunities to fill each day with enjoyable and revitalizing activities. Shabbatons, trips, and special programs enable each student to develop life-long relationships with his peers.

LIMUDEI KODESH

GENERAL STUDIES

SH AC HAR IS 7:55AM

PERI OD ONE 3:10PM

BR E AK FAST 8:35AM

PERI OD TWO 4:00PM

IYU N SE DE R 9:10AM

PERI OD THREE 4:45PM

C HU MASH / H AL AC H A SE D ER 11:15AM

PERI OD FOUR 5:30PM

LU NC H 12:00PM

TUES. & WED.

D I SM I SSAL 6:15PM

BE K IU S SE DER 12:40PM MON. & THURS.

MU SSAR /MIN CHA 2:00PM

D I NNER, SPORTS & CLUBS 6:10PM

R EC R E ATION AL BR E AK FO R SP ORTS & C LUBS 2:15PM

NI GHT SED ER 6:55PM M A ARIV & D I SM I SSAL 7:55PM

Our son graduated from Heichal. His experience was amazing on so many levels—the Rebbeim, the learning, the secular education, the social aspect, the sports, the trips. His brothers in 11th grade love it, too! RABBI DUVIE WEISS, HEICHAL PARENT

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elcome to Heichal HaTorah!

Ten years ago, we had a dream and, Baruch Hashem, it has come to fruition! Our cherished graduates have distinguished themselves in their communities as fine young men of exemplary character, learning away hour after hour in the Bais Medrash. These budding talmidei chachamim are now learning in some of the most prominent yeshivos in Israel. Many have returned to the United States to pursue college degrees and continue their Torah learning - at the Heichal Bais Medrash & College Program, Lander College, Yeshiva University and Ner Yisroel, many with significant academic scholarships. We have this same hope and vision for all of our 200+ talmidim.

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THE PASSION FOR TORAH AMONG OUR TALMIDIM IS PALPABLE IN THE EXCITING KOL TORAH THAT CAN BE HEARD IN THE HEICHAL BAIS MEDRASH EACH DAY.

At Heichal, we focus on encouraging our young men to grow in their davening and avodas Hashem. Our outstanding team of twenty rebbeim, led by Rav Avi Oberlander, Judaic Studies Principal, warmly encourage our talmidim to become passionately committed to Torah learning. Over 50 percent of our talmidim

received awards for learning Bein HaZmanim, 75 percent master an entire masechta or two each year, 55 percent study Torah in a learning program over the summer, more than 40 percent review an entire masechta over the summer and 20 percent stay voluntarily for 2 hours of Night Seder every night of the week. The passion for Torah among our talmidim is palpable in the exciting Kol Torah that can be heard in the Heichal Bais Medrash each day.

“OUR YESHIVA’S GOAL IS TO GUIDE EACH STUDENT TO DEVELOP HIS FULL POTENTIAL.” Rabbi Maccabee Avishur, our Academic Dean and Principal of General Studies, has worked tirelessly to enhance our first-rate general studies faculty, which comprises veteran teachers and carefully selected educators. Our small and tracked classes maximize the attention paid to the learning needs of each student. We have a robust STEM department. Our Math teachers were provided by the TEACHNJ program, and our faculty is comprised of award-wining

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“HEICHAL IS DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE YOUR SON LOVES TO COME TO YESHIVA EVERY DAY.”

public school teachers from Bergen County schools. Our History and English program, the Tikvah Program in the Humanities at Heichal, a neo-classical curriculum written by the Tivkah Fund, was recognized for excellence in the Wall Street Journal. Every Heichal student has unique qualities and strengths. Our yeshiva’s goal is to guide each student to develop his full potential. Partnering with Rav Daniel Schwechter, Mashgiach; Rav Chaim Marcus, Mashpiah; and Dr. Ari Klein, Director of Guidance, mentoring each student and tracking his four-year growth trajectory is the most meaningful part of my day. Our student life program consists of over 30 extra-curricular clubs that meet during the regular yeshiva day. In addition, at least once a month every boy experiences a fun program, awesome trip or life-altering Shabbaton. Heichal is dedicated to making sure your son loves to come to yeshiva every day. Walking through the halls you see boys smiling and having a great time. Heichal is one of the most fun places in the world!

Rav Aryeh Stechler Rosh Yeshiva & Dean

Rav Aryeh Stechler Rav Stechler founded Heichal HaTorah of Teaneck, NJ in 2013 and currently serves as the Rosh Yeshiva and Dean. Heichal is home to 181 high school students and 40 talmidim in its postIsrael Institute for Yeshiva and College Studies. Rav Stechler received his BA in Philosophy from Yeshiva College, Semicha from RIETS under the guidance of HaRav Hershel Schachter and Rav Michael Rosensweig, and holds a certificate in School Leadership from Harvard Business School and Harvard School of Education. During the summers, Rav Stechler is the Rosh Kollel of Camp Shoko, the Torah and fun summer program affiliated with Heichal HaTorah. He offers lectures in Business Leadership in the Petrocelli School of Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. Prior to founding Heichal, Rav Stechler served as Rabbi in Ahavath Torah in Englewood, NJ and Anshe Chessed in Linden, NJ. Rav Stechler also served as Executive Vice President of the RCBC and was a Gemara rebbe in High Schools for over a decade.

Rav Stechler is always available to answer your questions at ras@heichalHaTorah.org or call, text or WHATSAPP at 201.956.1965

‫כי הם חיינו‬

Limudei Kodesh heichalHaTorah.org

AT HEICHAL HATORAH

heichalHaTorah.org

My son found a second home at Heichal. The Torah environment combined with the warmth and concern for every Talmid is the perfect recipe for an amazing Yeshiva. HEICHAL PARENT

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

ear Future Talmidim, Our common goal in this world is to utilize all the kochos, talents and opportunities given to us as we grow into true Ovdei Hashem.

With the guidance of exemplary rebbeim and chaveirim, Heichal HaTorah affords each boy exactly that opportunity. Heichal HaTorah’s Rebbeim are warm, sensitive, and caring Talmidei Chachamim who are fully committed to the development, success, and happiness of each Talmid. There are four tracks per grade in Gemara and Chumash, ensuring that each talmid is challenged at his level. Talmidim spend “HEICHAL HATORAH’S time focusing on learning skills and then move on REBBEIM ARE WARM, to learning in chavrusos SENSITIVE, AND CARING and attending shiurim that TALMIDEI CHACHAMIM WHO include lomdus and analysis. ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO Each shiur is tailor-made to THE DEVELOPMENT, SUCCESS, bring each talmid to the next level of learning. AND HAPPINESS OF EACH

TALMID.”

At Heichal HaTorah, you will find an environment where Talmidim feel comfortable, accepted and happy. Each talmid adds so much and is appreciated for who he is. When one does well, others celebrate with him, and when one needs encouragement, his friends are there for him. We look forward to meeting you and helping you connect with Hashem in your own individual way.

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Sincerely,

Avi Oberlander Rav Avi Oberlander Judaic Studies Principal

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‫כי הם חיינו‬

Rav Avi Oberlander Rav Avi Oberlander is the Principal of Judaic Studies. Rav Oberlander studied in Yeshivas Toras Moshe and the Mir in Israel, and has worked for decades as a mechanech in middle school, high school, and bais medrash programs. Most recently, Rav Oberlander served as Sgan Menahel of the Waterbury Mesivta and Rosh Chaburah in the Waterbury Bais Medrash program. Rav Oberlander is a caring and concerned mechanech, who is wellknown for the individualized attention he offers each talmid.

Rav Oberlander is always available for questions at rao@heichalHaTorah.org or at 917.723.5109

My experience with Heichal HaTorah was a really positive one. The rabbeim at Heichal are really caring and always there for each and every talmid. It was really beautiful being part of an institution that stands for Torah and the spreading of Torah. I had such a wonderful time at Heichal that I wish I could go back! SHUA WILHELM, HEICHAL ALUMNUS

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

eichal HaTorah’s primary goal is to inspire our talmidim to deepen their relationship with Hashem; to love Torah learning, to daven passionately, and to develop exemplary midos. We strive to develop our talmidim into true b’nei Torah who view life through the prism of Torah.

The yeshiva’s second goal is to equip our talmidim with the tools to become talmidei chachamim by enabling them to read and analyze the Gemara with rishonim and acharonim. Additionally, our students achieve the successful mastery of a complete masechta of Gemara every year. Independent and chavrusah learning skills are honed through numerous sedarim in the beis medrash and during night seder.

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These goals are achieved because of our all-star team of rebbeim who are renowned for their vast bekius in Shas, their sophisticated analysis of the most difficult sugyas, and the ability to convey their knowledge in a clear and dynamic manner. The relationships they form with their talmidim motivate the boys to emulate their scholarship and commitment to Judaism.

Over the four years my son spent at Heichal he grew in knowledge, skill, confidence and maturity. I am so grateful to the Heichal administration and staff for helping my son grow into the best version of himself! PARENT OF HEICHAL ALUMNUS

SEDARIM

GE MAR A IYU N 9:10 AM – 11:10 AM Our talmidim study a challenging masechta each year with the goal of acquiring skills to “make a leining” on Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos, and other major rishonim and acharonim. Our rebbeim provide outstanding training in the analysis of each word and its implication. They teach students to uncover the conceptual underpinnings of the sugya. Significant time is allotted to chavrusah learning, as talmidim prepare for and review the shiur.

GE MAR A BE K IUS 12:30 - 2:00 PM A second masechta is selected each year for bekius learning. Each talmid masters an entire masechta each year. Talmidim take regular bechinos on dapim and perakim, culminating in a year-end masechta bechina. Talmidim of the Yeshiva will complete four of the following Masechtas: Berachos, Rosh Hashanah, Megillah, Succah, Kiddushin, Gittin or Sotah. There is no prouder moment for our yeshiva or our parents than when our talmidim stand proudly at the podium at the end of the year to recite the Hadran on the masechtos that they have learned and then recite it once again after the summer when they make another siyum on the same masechta, which they reviewed over the summer.

HAL ACHA AND CHUM ASH 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM Every morning, talmidim study halacha. The Yeshiva follows a four-year cycle that completes the entire Kitzur Shulchan Aruch and Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos. This provides the requisite knowledge for our talmidim to live a life of diligent shemiras hamitzvos. Heichal talmidim learn parshas hashavuah with Rashi and other meforshim on a daily basis. Our rebbeim stress the fact that the Torah informs and inspires our avodas Hashem and everyday lives.

M USSAR

Our Rosh Yeshiva, Hanhallah, and rebbeim present motivational speeches before or after shacharis, minchah and maariv. Derech eretz is emphasized as an essential characteristic of a ben Torah. Drawing from seforim that teach mussar in a positive manner inspires our talmidim to daven, live, and learn with passion and excitement.

NI GHT SED ER MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS 7:00 - 7:55 PM followed by Maariv Monday night seder offers our talmidim the opportunity to participate in dynamic chaburahs offered by older mentors from upper-classmen and the Heichal Bais Medrash. These mentors serve as role models and participate in Heichal trips, special events, and Shabbatons. On Thursday nights, all talmidim review Bekius with their rebbeim. The talmidim daven Maariv together as a yeshiva at 7:55 PM.

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CURRICULUM

‫כי הם חיינו‬

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

Rav Aryeh Stechler

Rav Avi Oberlander

Rav Ronen Dvash

Rav Nosson Englard

‫והיה עיניך‬ ‫רואות את‬ ‫מוריך‬ Heichal HaTorah is a place where a young man transforms into a Ben Torah. Rabbeim dedicate their total ‫ לב שלם‬to ensure the success of each ‫תלמיד‬.

Rav Chaim Marcus

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Rav Menashe MAZUREK

Rav Zev Senter

Rav Pesach Skulnick

Rav ZVI Sobolofsky

Rav Dani Staum

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‫כי הם חיינו‬

Rav jason Finkelstein

Rav Moshe Dan Kestenbaum

Rav Dovid Komet

Rav Shimon Kronenberg

Rav Michoel Parnes

Rav Yitzchak Reichman

Rav Mordechai Reiss

Rav Daniel Schwechter

Rav Raphael Steinhart

Rav Yisroel Teichman

Rav Aryeh Weistreich

Rav Yehuda Willig

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

9th grade rebbeim R AV PESAC H SKU L N IC K Rav Skulnick is the Senior Ram and 9th grade Rebbe and the first Rebbe who partnered with Rav Stechler to form Heichal. Rav Skulnick learned in Ner Yisroel in Baltimore for 17 years and offered an afternoon chaburah to advanced students. Hundreds of Ner Yisroel talmidim consider Rav Skulnick their Rebbe Muvhak. He has spent the last 15 summers at Camp Romimu, where he teaches the ninth grade shiur. He completed his undergraduate degree and CPA studies at the University of Maryland. He studied in Kerem B’ Yavneh for two years. Rav Skulnick’s warm and personable character, coupled with his deep concern for the religious and emotional development of each talmid, make him one of the most sought-after rebbeim in the country.

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Rav Skulnick enjoys playing basketball with the talmidim and often invites them over to his home to enjoy the Rebbetzin’s baking.

RAV RONEN DVASH

Rav Ronen Dvash grew up in Staten Island, New York. He learned in the Beis Medrash L’Talmud/ Lander College Kollel for nine years while earning semichah and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Touro University. Rav Dvash was the Rav of Ohr HaTorah of Kew Gardens Hills for many years. Currently he is a Rebbe at Heichal and a Rebbe at Machon Ora in Passaic, NJ.

RAV SHI M ON KRONENBERG Rav Kronenberg learned in Yeshivat Sha’alvim as well as Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim. While in Ohr Hachaim, he attended Touro college, majoring in Judaic Studies. Rav Kronenberg taught Gemara at Yeshivat Noam and worked for NCSY as a summer camp rebbe and chapter director. Rav Kronenberg serves as a Rebbe at Heichal, Heichal facilities manager and leader of the Heichal Chesed club.

RAV DANI STAUM Rav Staum received semichah from the renowned Rav Berel Wein and graduated from Fordham University with his Licensed Master of Social Work degree, with a special focus on adolescent mental health.

RAV SHIMON KRONENBERG

He has served as a division head at Camp Dora Golding as well as rebbe, teacher, general studies principal, and guidance counselor at several toptier yeshivas and day schools. A sought-after speaker and noted author on issues relating to the mental health of teenage boys, Rav Staum has distinguished himself as a leader in the guidance of young men. Rabbi Staum serves as a 9th grade Rebbe at Heichal and he has authored and edited many Heichal publications.

RAV DANI STAUM

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‫כי הם חיינו‬

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

10th grade rebbeim RAV DOVID KOMET A close talmid of Rav Meir Twersky, Rav Komet also studied under the tutelage of Rav Hershel Schachter, and in the Kollel Elyon of YU. Rav Komet received a B.A. in Mathematics from Yeshiva College. He later became a Meishiv at the RJJ Yeshiva of Edison. Over the past two decades, Rav Komet developed a stellar reputation as a master mechanech and talmid chacham. After many years as the tenth grade rebbe and pre-Calculus and Calculus teacher at Moshe Aaron Yeshiva High School, Rav Komet served as Menahel of MAYHS for three years. For many years, he served as the Segan Menahel of Shaarei Tzion in Piscataway, NJ. Rav Komet is respected for his sincere and warm personality, coupled with a sharp sense of humor, which enables him to form life-long relationships with his talmidim. Heichal is extremely blessed that Rav Komet decided to return to the classroom and serve as our tenth grade rebbe and Honors Mathematics teacher.

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Heichal is extremely blessed that Rav Komet has served as a Heichal Rebbe, Israel Guidance and Honors Math teacher for many years.

RAV M ORD ECHAI REI SS Rav Reiss is a tenth grade Bekius Rebbe and a Bais Medrash night seder Rebbe at Heichal HaTorah. Mordechai grew up in Flatbush where he attended Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim for elementary and high school.

Rav Mordechai Reiss

He attended Philadelphia Yeshiva for bais medrash where he learned under Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky Shlit”a and earned a bachelors in Talmudic law. He then learned in Eretz Yisroel in the yeshiva of Rav Dovid Soloveitchik zt”l where he spent two years learning Kodshim. He then went on to learn in Bais Medrash Gavoha for a number of years earning a masters in Talmudic Law. Mordechai currently resides in Passaic where he was a member of the Passaic Clifton Community Kollel for three years. Mordechai gives a weekly Halacha shiur at Rabbi Halberstam’s shul in Passaic.

RAV ZEV SENTER

Rav Zev Senter

After studying in Israel for three years at Kerem B’Yavneh, Rav Zev Senter received his B.S. in Accounting from Lander College, where he learned under the guidance of Rav Eliyahu Soloveitchik and Rav Yonason Sacks. Rav Senter serves as a rebbe in Heichal and is the director of Camp Shoko.

RAV YI SROEL TEI CHM AN Rav Teichman studied with Rav Reuven Feinstein and in the Lakewood Yeshiva. He served as Assistant Principal in Ohr Yosef in Englewood. He currently teaches Halacha at Ateres Bais Yaakov and is the Rav of Kehillas Zichron Yitzchok in Monsey, NY and is a rebbe at Heichal.

Rav Yisroel Teichman

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‫כי הם חיינו‬

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

11th grade rebbeim RAV DANIEL SCHWECHTER

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Rav Schwechter is the Heichal Mashgiach and an Iyun rebbe. Rav Schwechter learned in Yeshivat Reishit for one year under Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, and at YU under Rav Baruch Simon. Rav Schwechter has an undergraduate degree in Psychology, from Yeshiva University. He received semichah from Rav Schachter after learning in his kollel for three years, two of which he spent in the satellite kollel in the DRS beis medrash with Rosh Kollel Rav Shmuel Marcus. After receiving semichah, he became a rebbe at Westchester Day School, and eventually became the Mashgiach Ruchani. Rav Schwechter is the Rav of a teen minyan on Shabbos. Rav Schwechter is renowned for his commitment to and connection with all types of talmidim.

RAV M ENASHE M AZUREK Rav Mazurek coordinates the Super Bekius program at Heichal. Rav Mazurek studied at Yeshiva Derech Hatalmud in Israel for three years, then graduated from Yeshiva University with a degree in history. He received semichah from Yeshiva University as a member of the Bella and Harry Wexner Semikha Honors Program and completed a fellowship as a member of the Israel Henry Beren Kollel Elyon. Rav Mazurek worked as a shoel u’maishiv at Yeshiva University for two years.

RAV ARYEH WESTREI CH

Rav Menashe Mazurek

Rav Aryeh Westreich is a graduate of Ner Yisroel in Baltimore, where he received a Master’s in Talmudic Law. Afterward, Rav Westreich entered the Katz Kollel of Yeshiva University, under the auspices of Rav Hershel Schachter, and later moved to the Israel Henry Beren Kollel Elyon. Rav Westreich was an assistant rebbe in YU’s Mazer Yeshiva Program, is currently pursuing an MBA at Loyola University and an MA in Jewish Philosophy at Bernard Revel Graduate School.

RAV YEHUDA WI LLI G Rav Aryeh Westreich

Rav Yehuda Willig

Rav Willig leads the optional night seder program at Heichal and teaches medical ethics from a Halachik perspective. Rav Willig currently serves as a maggid shiur at RIETS, Yeshiva University. An alumnus of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh as well as Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, Rav Willig earned his BA at Yeshiva College and received his semichah from RIETS, where he was a member of the Wexner Semikha Honors Program. He also spent time as a fellow at the Beren Institute for Higher Talmudic Studies. In the summer, Rav Willig serves as Mara D’asra of Camp HASC.

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‫כי הם חיינו‬

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

12th grade rebbeim RAV MICHOEL PARNES Rav Parnes teaches the most advanced Iyun shiur at Heichal HaTorah. Rav Parnes is a veteran mechanech and talmid chacham who came to Heichal after serving as rebbe for the twelfth grade honors shiur at JEC for 36 years. Rav Parnes received his semichah from the Mirrer Yeshiva of Brooklyn, New York. He also studied at the Mirrer Yeshiva in Israel, and at YU under the Gaon HaRav Dr. Joseph Ber Solovetchik, zt”l. He has the privilege of being a chavrusa with his father, HaRav Yehuda Parnes, the esteemed maggid shiur at YU and Lander College.

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Rav Parnes is known for earning the respect of his students and inspiring them to live up to their full potential. His talmidim emerge highly skilled and sought-after by prestigious yeshivos in Israel. Rav Parnes has maintained close relationships with his talmidim long after graduation, as they transition into adults and contributing members of their communities. He is always available for his past and present talmidim to discuss any and all life issues.

RAV CHAI M M ARCUS

Rav Chaim Marcus

Rav Chaim Marcus is the Heichal Mashpiah and also teaches an Iyun shiur to seniors. Rav Marcus studied under Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, at Har Etzion, and earned his semichah at RIETS, Yeshiva University. In addition to serving as the marah d’asrah of Congregation Israel of Springfield (CIS), Rav Marcus was the Senior Halacha Rabbi of Bruriah High School for Girls for nearly two decades, and leads the Semichat Chaver program at CIS. “It is an honor that Rav Marcus, one of the most influential and inspirational rabbis in our community, has chosen Heichal to continue to his illustrious chinuch career,” said Rav Stechler.

RAV JASON FI NKELSTEI N Rav Finkelstein is a rebbe at Heichal. Rav Finkelstein studied at Yeshivat Hakotel and then continued to Yeshiva Universeity where he spent many years learning with Rav Michael Rosensweig and developing a close relationship with Rav Meir Twersky through YU’s Masmidim program. He was a member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon, and partook in extensive rabbinic training. Rabbi Finkelstein was a beloved seventh and eighth-grade rebbe at Yeshivat Noam and has been involved in numerous roles of harbatzas HaTorah throughout the Teaneck community. His passion for learning and his ability to connect with all his talmidim makes a lasting imprint on his students.

Rav jason Finkelstein

RAV ZVI SOBOLOFSKY Rav Zvi Sobolofsky teaches night seder at Heichal HaTorah, is a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University and Rav of Congregation Ohr Torah in Bergenfield, NJ. Rabbi Sobolofsky studied at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh and Yeshiva University; graduating in 1987, he was named valedictorian of the Mazer Yeshiva Program. He then attended the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), receiving smicha in 1990 and earned a Master’s degree from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. He is the author of two sefarim, Reishis Koach, on Maseches Bechoros, and The Laws and Concepts of Niddah.

Rav Zvi Sobolofsky

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‫כי הם חיינו‬

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

Summer MEGA Siyum & Simchas BAIS HASHOEIVAH

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Most of the boys who complete the masechta during the past yeshiva year review the masechta again over the summer. During the yeshiva’s Simchas Bais HaShoeivah, the talmidim who chazered the masechta over the summer are invited to join the rebbeim on the dais to make their second siyum. All the boys who complete this second siyum have their names listed on a banner, which is hung in the Heichal Bais Medrash.

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‫כי הם חיינו‬

MASECHES MEGILLAH MICHA ABRAMOFF, SHLOMO DOMBECK, GERSHON FRIEDMAN, AZARYA GASNER, DOVY GERSHUNY, SHIMON GOLDMAN, YEHUDA GREENBERG, JUDAH GROSS, ZEV MALLIN, DOVI MORELL, NACHUM PIETRUSZKA, LEVI ROYZENBERG, LEVI RUSANOV, SHMUEL SCHREIBER, AARON SCHWARTZ, ARYEH SHULMAN, MOSHE WEISSMANN, DANIEL WERTENTHEIL MASECHES TAMID YAAKOV AVRAHAMI, BINYOMIN BISER, TZALLY GOTTESMAN, ELCHANAN KAMENSKY, SHMUEL LAMM, MOSHE LOWY, AZI MILLER, EZRA MOVSAS, MEISHAR RIESER, ELIYAHU STEIN, BENTSION ZILBERSTEIN MASECHES SUKKAH JOSHI AROCHAS, MEIR ASCHKENASY, AKIVA BESSER, ZEVI GROSS, AKIVA KORN, SHAI KOSOWSKY, AZRIEL LASTER, YITZY LEFKOWITZ, AZI MOTECHIN, BOAZ MOVSAS, MUDGIE NEIMAN, Zvi NEUGROSCHL, LAIB NEWMARK, SRULI RESNICK, ELIYAHU SANDERS, YOEL SCHMUTTER, NACHI SCHWARTZ, EPHRAIM SHEINBEIN, SHMUEL WEISS, YEHUDA WEISS, DOVI ZAUDERER MASECHES ARCHIN SACHI MANDEL, YEHUDA WEISS

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

Year-End Mega-Siyum

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During the year, the vast majority of the talmidim in the yeshiva finish the bekius Masechta they learn, review it, master it and take a test on the entire masechta. In 2021, over 100 talmidim finished the masechta. At the end of the year, Heichal coordinates a grand siyum, with live music from exciting musicians such as Zusha or Eitan Katz, and a key-note address from Gedolei Yisroel such as Rav Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher; Rav Yerucham Olshin, Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood; or Rav Lazer Ginzburg, Rosh Kollel Mir Brooklyn. Parents of those completing the siyum are invited to attend and schep nachas from this amazing accomplishment.

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‫כי הם חיינו‬ 29

Limudei Kodesh @ Heichal HaTorah

CHAV RUS A HS WIT H B A I S M E DR A S H TALM IDIM AN D UPPE R C L A S S M A N AT MON DAY N IG HT S E DE R SUP ER BEK IU S During junior and senior year, talmidim can opt to learn an extra hour of bekius and finish a larger masechta, such as Berachos, Gittin or Kidushin.

O PTIONA L N IG HT S E DE R Many boys voluntarily stay in the yeshiva each night for night seder. After joining the Bais Medrash talmidim for dinner, these high school boys have a two-hour Gemara seder each night.

We are so incredibly grateful and lucky to be a part of Heichal HaTorah. The yeshiva cares about each individual boy and works tirelessly so that our son can be successful. The rebbeim have been so warm and kind and really try to teach each talmid at their level. Our son goes to school happily and comes home happy which means a lot to us.

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HEICHAL PARENT

PROGRAMS

B EIN H AZ MANIM INCENTIVE PROGRAM Talmidim who learn more than 10 hours will receive Chickie’s for dinner Talmidim who learn more than 25 hours will go out to Dougie’s for dinner Talmidim who learn more than 40 hours will go out to ETC Steakhouse for dinner

Most of the talmidim opt to receive seforim gift cards instead of eating at a restaurant

I have only been at Heichal for a few weeks and I already feel that the way I learn, the way I daven, and the way I serve Hashem has changed for the better. YEHUDA BESSER, HEICHAL STUDENT

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PECIAL LEARNIN

‫כי הם חיינו‬

‫יפה תלמוד תורה‬ ‫עם דרך ארץ‬ PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AND THEIR CAREERS

General Studies

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AT HEICHAL HATORAH

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The general studies program, with its outstanding faculty, provides an excellent education in Math, English, Science, and History. It also offers electives and advanced placement courses. The teachers are invested in the growth and achievement of each student. We are thrilled with the stellar education our boys are receiving at Heichal. RIVKA ZAUDERER, HEICHAL PARENT

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

ear Parents,

Your son can have it all. Following a best-in-class Torah learning program, your son will participate in a general studies program that is rigorous and college-preparatory. Heichal teaches the students the foundational skills they will need to succeed in college and their careers.

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In science, your son will take biology, chemistry, and physics with the option for AP sciences in his senior year. For those students more interested in pursuing a career in technology and engineering, we offer an additional science path that includes applied sciences, engineering principles, coding, and computer science.

In math, your son will make his way through Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2. Then, based on his interest, he can follow a path to AP Calculus or AP statistics and Finance and Investing. For outstanding math students, we offer a Math Lab where, with the support of a math teacher, students can master their math skills at their own accelerated pace, sometimes completing two years of math in one year.

In English, your son will study American and British literature and also have an opportunity to improve his writing skills, especially his non-fiction writing including writing for business. Your son will read and analyze poetry and classics such as Dickens, Shakespeare, and Steinbeck as well as more recent literary works. In History, your son will explore the world’s great civilizations, study American history and then have an option to study Jewish history. For our most advanced students, we offer the Tikvah program which integrates intellectual history and classical literature into one course and has been recognized for its excellence in the Wall Street Journal. We offer at least 4 levels (aka “tracks”) in each of our general studies classes to accommodate the learning readiness of all our students. We have regular classes, accelerated classes, and honors and high-honors classes for every subject. Each track is small, often consisting of fewer than 15 students, with fewer than seven students in our AP and Senior elective classes. In short, at Heichal, your son will receive a first-rate general studies education comparable with the finest yeshiva day

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General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

“OUR COURSES ARE TAUGHT IN A WAY THAT OUR BOYS WILL DISCOVER THE THINGS THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT TODAY, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL LEAD TO A LIFELONG CAREER GOAL TOMORROW.”

schools. He will be wellprepared for college and a successful career. Our courses are taught in a way that our boys will discover the things they are passionate about today, which hopefully will lead to a lifelong career goal tomorrow.

The success of our program speaks for itself. Over the last several years, numerous seniors were recognized by the College Board as Commended Students for their performance on the PSAT. Our boys regularly earn 5’s on their AP exams. Almost every single one of our students who has applied to the honors programs at YU and Lander College for Men in each of our graduating classes has been accepted, and our boys are earning the highest possible scholarships. All of this is possible because of the outstanding faculty we have assembled over the years. Our teachers are veterans of the field, passionate about their subjects, and attuned to the needs of teenage boys. We have successfully recruited topnotch teachers, including many from New Jersey public schools through our partnership with Teach NJ, allowing us to expand the breadth of our program while bringing in professionals recognized for their high-quality teaching and enthusiasm. If your son attends Heichal, he will leave here with an excellent foundation that prepares him to succeed in college, and a career. We hope your son will join us for his Heichal journey.

MAvishur Sincerely,

Rabbi Maccabee Avishur

Rabbi MACCABEE Avishur Rabbi Avishur has served as the Academic Dean and General Studies Principal of Heichal for numerous years. Prior to his role at Heichal, Rabbi Avishur served at Prizmah Center for Jewish Day Schools and the YU School Partnership where he served as a senior consultant to schools across North America. During that time, he gained field-wide experience and a deep understanding of the Jewish day school landscape including what works and what does not in schools. Rabbi Avishur began his career as a high school math and science teacher at the Mesivta of Greater Los Angeles as well as a middle school rebbe at Emek Hebrew Academy, also in Los Angeles, where he was born and raised. From there, he served in senior leadership positions at schools in Texas and Michigan. In those roles, Rabbi Avishur led and collaborated with colleagues on a variety of school improvement initiatives including creating a horizontally- and vertically-aligned curriculum scope and sequence, implementing standards-based unit design, revising assessment practices to enhance student learning, creating a teacher mentoring program, improving teacher instruction and student learning through growthoriented supervision, and enhancing school culture through studentcentered practices and design thinking. Rabbi Avishur has been known throughout his career for the deep connections he formed with students, the care with which he included parents in their children’s education, and his knack for setting high expectations and helping students and teachers achieve them.

Rabbi Avishur is always available for questions at mavishur@heichalHaTorah. org or at 949-903-9117.

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

Your career is our business.

ur four-year, competitively designed, college-preparatory general studies program centers around a core curriculum that comprises English, History, Math, and Science. Our curriculum is designed to foster the development of crucial academic skills and to empower our students to acquire, analyze, synthesize, and articulate knowledge. As students progress through the grades and are guided by our award-winning faculty, they are exposed to increasingly sophisticated methods of organizing and applying their acquired knowledge. Heichal’s educational philosophy dictates that our program meets the requirements of selective colleges and that our students are well-prepared for the standardized testing that is required for college admission. SAT preparation commences in the freshman year and is integrated into the curriculum so that our students have ample opportunity to hone their skills. An array of Advanced Placement courses are offered. Classes are tracked to meet the needs of different learning styles and abilities.

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The skills that students learn in these classes will prepare them for their future careers in medicine, law, business and beyond. Most importantly, the goal of these dynamic and interesting classes is to provide our students exposure to various careers they can choose to pursue passionately. The contributions they will make to society through their professional successes and Torah-inspired conduct will undoubtedly serve as a Kiddish HaShem and bring nachas to Klal Yisroel. Heichal HaTorah is a fully accredited High School and licensed in the State of New Jersey.

FD U M I D D LE COLLEG E CRED I TS I N HI GH SCH OOL Heichal currently enjoys close relationships with a number of universities and is proud to offer students the opportunity to earn FDU Middle College credits from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Heichal students may complete coursework to earn these college-level credits during their junior and senior years. Some of these FDU Middle Collge coures offered at Heichal may be accepted for credit at other institutions of higher learning, such as Lander College, as well.

I have been nothing short of amazed with the quality of the education, the structure of the school, the care of the administration and the responsibility each member of staff takes to encourage and bring out the best from each Heichal Talmid. I have seen my son grow into a mature senior who is taking initiative, invested in developing himself in all of the best ways and continually growing by leaps and bounds. Thank you so much Heichal HaTorah. ILAN DAVIDOVICI HEICHAL PARENT

16 GENERAL STUDIES CREDITS REQUIRED TO EARN A HEICHAL HATORAH HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA:

English - 4 Courses History - 3 Courses Math - 3 Courses

Science - 3 Courses Elective - 3 Courses

AP COURSES

ELECTIVES

AP Calculus AP English Composition AP English Literature AP Government AP Physics AP Psychology AP Statistics AP US History

Computer Science Finance and Investing Jewish History Journalism Medical Ethics

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General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

Tikvah Department The goal of Heichal HaTorah’s partnership with the Tikvah Fund was to establish a new honors track that revived the classical education that elite Jewish students used to take for granted. Tikvah, an educational foundation in New York, has helped the school develop and implement a neoclassical history and literature curriculum for grades 9 - 11. Based on centuries-old classical materials and methods used to teach elite Western students in “gymnasia,” this program focuses on the West’s greatest and most enduring works, those responsible for its greatest artistic, literary, mathematical and scientific achievements. Poverty and persecution usually deprived Jews of classical education while it was the norm in general society, yet many Torah luminaries from Spain, Portugal, Holland, Italy, Germany and Poland studied Western classics. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Berlin’s top Orthodox high school required six languages, including Greek and Latin. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch’s school was less rigorous than a gymnasium because it only required four languages. As Progressive educational reformers worked to replace classical education with pragmatic subjects, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik unsuccessfully tried to start gymnasia of their own, succumbing to resistance from parents who wanted easier and directly career-oriented subjects taught instead.

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Heichal HaTorah, in partnership with The Tikvah Fund, is seeking to provide a rigorous and traditionalist alternative. “In seeking to provide the best possible secular studies program, Heichal came to believe that we need to look back to timeless texts if we want to find the best way forward,” said Rabbi Aryeh Stechler, Rosh Yeshiva of Heichal.

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TIKVAH DEPT

General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

The Tikvah Fund, an educational and philanthropic Jewish foundation in New York, has been offering classical seminars to young Jewish students and professionals for years. Its curriculum has ninth graders reading ancient mythology, Homer’s epics, Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, Cicero, Josephus, Tacitus, Augustine, Dante and Pico, all with a Jewish perspective in mind. This “oldnew” curriculum, as described by General Studies Principal Rabbi Maccabee Avishur, is meant not only to give students the best possible education, but “to religiously inspire them by showing how ideas from the Tanach and Jewish tradition are responsible for uniquely Western traditions that we value as Jews and Americans.” While there is a growing classical education movement across the US, Jewish schools have instead tended to adopt progressive trends in public education. Rabbi Dr. Mitchell Rocklin, Resident Research Fellow at the Tikvah Fund and one of the program’s instructors, noted that hundreds of American schools have adopted neo-classical curricula to recover educational excellence and traditionalist outlook. “Classical education,” he says, “does not encourage students to arbitrarily choose their own values. It instills in them a love of timeless truths and an understanding that tradition is the foundation of reason itself. Jewish schools have been behind this trend for some time, but they need not be.” As Orthodoxy debates the relationship between

tradition and progress, Rabbi Dr. Rocklin believes that the introduction of this course is well timed. “Too often,” he commented, “Orthodox discourse has portrayed religious Jews as needing to navigate between tradition and culture. But classical education allows us to see that true culture is not whatever happens to be in our surroundings. It helps us understand cultural greatness, the Jewish roots of that greatness, and how the Western tradition allows religion and culture to work together.”

R ABBI AVI H E L L E R Rabbi Heller teaches 9th grade Tikvah English at Heichal. Rabbi Heller attended Yeshivat Shaalvim and Yeshivat Har Etzion and then earned his BA from Boston University in Political Theory and International Relations followed by an MA in Tanach from Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel Graduate School and Semicha from RIETS. In addition to teaching, his professional experience includes time at Hillel International, the Boca Raton Community Kollel, Boston University Hillel, Manhattan Jewish Experience, and the Orthodox Union. When he was in Yeshiva, Rabbi Heller started two businesses, one selling cookies and the other (a remedy for the first, perhaps) offering Pesach cleaning services. Rabbi Heller stays fit by running and cycling and keeps his mind in shape through learning and researching nerdy topics. He also enjoys learning obscure niggunim and rooting for the Denver Broncos.

MR . DOVID SC HWA RTZ Mr. Dovid Schwartz teaches Tikvah courses at Heichal. A graduate of Yeshiva University, Mr. Schwartz studied under Rav Hershel Schachter and Rav Michael Rosensweig while majoring in philosophy.

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

Dear Prospective Parents,

A grand tour of the West is an essential part of the Heichal journey for our most elite students. This is because more than four years ago, Heichal partnered with the Tikvah Fund to help revive the sort of classical education that elite Jewish students used to take for granted. Our top honors students study a neo-classical history and literature curriculum from ninth through twelfth grade in the slots which, in a typical school, are devoted to History and English. Based on centuries-old classical materials and methods used to teach elite Western students, this program focuses on the West’s greatest and most enduring works.

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“AND OUR CURRICULUM DIFFERS FROM THE NORM INSOFAR AS IT IS NOT MERE COLLECTION OF WORKS: IT WALKS THROUGH WESTERN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY AND CULTURE FROM BEGINNING TO END, CHALLENGING STUDENTS TO CONSIDER NOT ONLY WHAT HAS GONE WONDERFULLY RIGHT, BUT WHAT HAS GONE CATASTROPHICALLY WRONG.”

Poverty and persecution usually deprived Jews of classical education, yet many Torah luminaries from across Europe studied Western classics, and Western Europe’s top rabbis had to progress through a thorough classical curriculum in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Going against the grain of progressive education, which sought to replace the study of great works with merely practical skills, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik unsuccessfully

tried to start gymnasia of their own. But they were unsuccessful. We are trying to revive their legacy. Our curriculum has ninth graders reading ancient mythology, Homer’s epics, Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, Cicero, Josephus, Tacitus, Augustine, Dante, Pico, and an extraordinary range of modern writers through a Jewish lens.Our curriculum differs from the norm insofar as it is not mere collection of works: it walks through Western intellectual history and culture from beginning to end, challenging students to consider not only what has gone wonderfully right, but what has gone catastrophically wrong. Our students are challenged to be leaders in reviving the West. They learn how religion and culture and mutually interdependent. We teach students a truth so often missed or ignored: that the West is Greco-Roman culture reexamined through a Jewish lens, and that Jews should take responsibility for reviving it. Our students do not seek to imitate or accommodate themselves to their surroundings, as is too often the case in assimilationist circles. Nor do they isolate themselves from culture, as often happens in particularly religious circles. And just as importantly, they do not seek some sort of compromise or negotiation, as is common in modern religious life. They recognize true religion – Judaism – as the source of the Western creative tradition that took Greco-Roman civilization and moved it forward in ways that could only be made possible by a covenantal G-d. They recognize its great achievements, as well as its destructive heresies. And they seek to help put our civilization back together, to learn from its errors, and to build a more glorious future for the Jewish people, the West, and humanity. I hope that you will join us in this quest. Sincerely,

MRocklin

Rabbi Mitchell Rocklin, Ph.D. Tikvah Humanities Program, Founder

TIKVAH

BOOKS

TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER SECONDARY SOURCES: Bloom, Allan. Love and Friendship. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. Chadwick, John. Linear B and Related Scripts. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. De Blois, Lukas and Robartus van der Spek. Introduction to the Ancient World. London: Routledge, 2008. Hadas, Moses. “Vergil, Hebrew Prophecy, and the Roman Ideal.” Commentary, (Nov. 1, 1953). Johnson, Paul. A History of the Jews. New York: Harper Perennial, 1988. Palmer, R.R. and Joel Colton, eds. A History of the Modern World: To 1815, 8th ed. Vol. I. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995. ANCIENT PRIMARY HISTORY TEXTS: Aristotle. Politics. Translated by T.A. Sinclair and T.J. Saunders. New York: Penguin, 1992. Herodotus. Histories. Translated by Aubrey De Selincourt. New York: Penguin, 2003. Hesiod. Theogony; Works and Days. Translated by M.L. West. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Livy. Stories of Rome. Translated by Roger Nicols. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Plato. The Last Days of Socrates: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo. Translated by H. Tredennick and H. Tarrant. New York: Penguin, 2003. -----. The Republic. Translated by D. Lee and H.D. Pritchard. New York: Penguin, 2003. Perry, Marvin, et al., eds. Sources of the Western Tradition: From Ancient Times to the Enlightenment, 3rd ed. Vol. I. Boston:Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995. Pritchard, James R., ed. The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures, Vol. I and II. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1975. Tacitus. Annals. Translated by Michael Grant. New York: Viking, 1956. Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian Wars. Translated and edited by Rex Warner. New York: Penguin, 2003. LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL TEXTS NOT INCLUDED IN ANTHOLOGIES: The Epic of Gilgamesh. Translated and edited by N.K. Sandars. New York: Penguin, 1972. Augustine. City of God. Translated by Henry Battenson. New York: Penguin, 2004. Cohen, Seymour, ed. The Holy Letter. New York: Jason Aronson Inc., 1994. D’Aulaire, Ingri & D’Aulaire, Edgar. D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. New York: Delacorte, 1992. Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1990. -----. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1996. Livy. Stories of Rome. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1982. Maimonides, Moses. The Guide for the Perplexed. Mineola: Dover Publications, 2000. Sutcliff, Rosemary. Black Ships Before Troy. New York: LaurelLeaf, 2005.

Sutcliff, Rosemary. The Wanderings of Odysseus. New York: Laurel-Leaf, 2005. Virgil. The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 2008.

10TH GRADE BIBLIOGRAPHY Boorstin, Daniel, ed. An American Primer. New York: Penguin, 1966. Cervantes, Miguel. Grossman, Edith, trans. Don Quixote. New York: Ecco, 2015. Cooper, James Fenimore. The Last of the Mohicans. Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince. Translated by Harvey C. Mansfield Jr., 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1998. McClay, Wilfred M. Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. New York: Encounter, 2019. McMichael, George, ed. The Concise Edition of American Literature, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. Murrin, John M. et al. Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People. Vol. I, 5th ed. New York: Cengage, 2007. Palmer, R.R. and Joel Colton, eds. A History of the Modern World: To 1815, 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995. Perry, Marvin, et al., eds. Sources of the Western Tradition: From Ancient Times to the Enlightenment, 3rd ed. Vols. I & II. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012. Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. 11TH GRADE BIBLIOGRAPHY Andersen, Hans Christian. “The Shadow.” (Open-Source Handout) Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2008. ---------------------. David Copperfield. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. “The Dream of a Ridiculous Man.” (Open-Source Handout) Dumas, Alexandre. The Three Musketeers. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2004. De Tocqueville, Alexis. Edited by Joseph Epstein. Democracy in America. New York: Bantam Dell, 2000. McClay, Wilfred M. Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. New York: Encounter, 2019. Perry, Marvin, et al., eds. Sources of the Western Tradition: From Ancient Times to the Enlightenment, 3rd ed. Vols. I & II. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995. Roosevelt, Theodore. “The Strenuous Life.” Tolstoy, Leo. “The Cossacks” 12TH GRADE BIBLIOGRAPHY Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Wordsworth Classics Johnson, Paul. A History of the Jews. New York: Harper Perennial, 1988. Palmer, R.R. and Joel Colton, eds. A History of the Modern World: To 1815, 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995. Other readings to be handed out.

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General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

Rabbi Mitchell Rocklin, Ph.D Rabbi Mitchell Rocklin, Ph.D., is a research fellow at the Tikvah Fund, where he oversees the development and implementation of classical education curricula in Jewish schools. This effort has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, which covered Heichal HaTorah, Tikvah’s flagship school, in a feature about American religious life. Rabbi Rocklin has held postdoctoral fellowships at Princeton University and Yeshiva University, following service as a synagogue rabbi in Connecticut. He is also a Chaplain in the Army National Guard with the rank of Major, as well as the President of the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty. Rabbi Rocklin holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from Yeshiva University, rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University’s affiliated theological seminary, and an M.Phil. and Ph.D. in History from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His writings have appeared in a number of publications, including The Los Angeles Times, National Review Online, The Forward, and Mosaic.

Rabbi Rocklin is always available for questions at mrocklin@tikvahfund.org.

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

Jerusalem Meets Athens in New Jersey Heichal HaTorah teaches the great texts of both the Jewish and Western traditions.

heichalhatorah.org

By Elliot Kaufman Originally published in the Wall Street Journal

Graduates of Heichal HaTorah should be “budding Talmud scholars,” says Rabbi Aryeh Stechler, headmaster of the all-boys Orthodox Jewish yeshiva high school. That’s not all. The boys should also appreciate “how unique this country’s values are, and how much America has done for the Jews.” For two years, Heichal HaTorah has piloted the Tikvah Humanities Curriculum, a Great Books honors track for ninth- and 10th-graders studying Western history, literature and philosophy. The Tikvah Fund, the foundation behind the curriculum, believes Heichal is the only Jewish high school in America with a classicaleducation program. At some Orthodox schools, subjects such as English, history and math take a back seat to the analysis of Jewish texts. Others, especially in Modern Orthodox communities, dial back the Judaic studies somewhat to provide rigorous all-around education. They usually do that, however, by aping top secular schools, adopting progressive curricula that can be hostile to traditional values. Heichal HaTorah is evidence that there’s a better way, suggests Rabbi Mark Gottlieb, senior director of the Tikvah Fund. Better, he says, to “infuse the humanities with the Jewish spirit” than “look over one’s shoulder for the latest fad,” be it vulgar contemporary novels or revisionist history textbooks that Howard Zinn might applaud. Heichal HaTorah, which advertises a “classic yeshiva education and superior general studies program,” articulates a different vision of cutting-edge Jewish education.

Heichal’s honors students display impressive range in the classroom. Back in June, ninth-graders were reading Meister Eckhart, a German medieval theologian, and discussing the West’s evolving understanding of G-d and man. A question arose and a student shouted a relevant line from the Torah, quoting it in Hebrew. While I struggled to connect the dots, another student compared Eckhart’s view to an older one from myths about Hercules. A third cited Cicero. “It’s like studying Talmud,” said Shaya Zimerman, 16. “Even on one tiny bit, there are so many different opinions. So you start at the beginning, go in depth, read the opinions and work through it.” Aggressive annotations in the margins of his source sheet attested to his training. Few are better primed to appreciate great texts from long ago than yeshiva students. “Of course the old arguments of the Talmud shape the Jewish laws we follow,” said TZvi Ginzberg, 16. “But Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense’ also influences how we live, right now, in America. It influences what we believe.” I asked at random about the ideas of the French Revolution, which they studied earlier in the year. Quickly, a 10th-grader explained that the revolutionaries’ universalism sadly encouraged France to export its revolution by force. More broadly, TZvi said he disapproves of theorizing about politics from the “state of nature.” I asked if that means the American revolutionaries were wrong, too. “Not all of them were Lockeans,” he responded, rejecting my premise. “Many only claimed the traditional rights of Englishmen, which Britain was clearly violating.” Rabbi Mitch Rocklin of the Tikvah Fund smiles with pride. He’s the principal instructor of the honors

General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

Photo: Elliot Kaufman

heichalhatorah.org

Rabbi Mitch Rocklin and his students in Teaneck, N.J., June 3.

track at Heichal HaTorah, and he’s on a mission to revive Jewish classical education, once a requirement at several top Orthodox schools in prewar Europe. “It allows students to see themselves as part of a living Western tradition to which their Jewish faith is fundamental,” he maintains. Rabbi Rocklin highlights the connections by including contemporaneous Jewish texts in his lessons. “The students start to love their Jewish religion in a new way,” he says. He tries to show Jews “what their religion has to do with their culture, and what their culture has to do with their religion.” It seems to be working. This year Heichal’s honors track will expand to the 11th grade and a new Tikvah program will launch at Bais Yaakov Machon Ora, an all-girls Orthodox Jewish school in Passaic, N.J. Rabbi Rocklin, who is both a Princeton postdoc and a chaplain in the New Jersey Army National Guard, told his students the course he taught would be the hardest they’ve ever taken. He has worked equally hard,

even volunteering to record a lesson while on duty in Erbil, Iraq. (The boys didn’t mind when the takeoff of a V-22 Osprey aircraft interrupted his lesson.) Finding people willing and able to teach such a wide-ranging curriculum may be an obstacle to the growth of Jewish classical education. Another is that many parents want their children prepared intensively for Advanced Placement exams. Rabbi Rocklin says his students will be ready, but insists he won’t “bow down at the altar of AP.” No doubt some compromises will be necessary. But if traditional schools are going to teach secular subjects, it makes sense to teach them traditionally. Rabbi Rocklin’s students deserve to learn the best the West has thought and said. It’s their patrimony, too. Mr. Kaufman is an assistant editorial features editor at the Journal. He has attended and helped select participants for Tikvah Fund educational programs.

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

M R . C H R IST IA N CO RTAVA R R IA

Math Department Heichal’s mathematics program is designed to accommodate a range of mathematical abilities and backgrounds. All courses provide opportunities for students to work at a challenging level and cover all of the requirements necessary for success in college math and beyond. Freshmen commence with Algebra 1 or Geometry. After 9th grade, students take courses in Algebra II, PreCalculus, AP Calculus, and Accounting and Finance. Exceptional students in 10-12 grades may be admitted to the Math Lab, where under the guidance of Math teachers, they take online Math courses. Students’ progress and work in these courses are closely monitored by Heichal Math teachers. This affords advanced students the opportunity to learn at an advanced pace and study all areas of mathematics.

Every High School Math Course in the world is offered at Heichal HaTorah.

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CO URSE S:

Accounting Algebra 1 Algebra 1 Accelerated Algebra 2 Algebra 2 Accelerated Algebra 2 Honors AP Calculus Finance & Investing Geometry Accelerated Geometry Honors Geometry Regular

Math Lab - Algebra Math Lab Algebra 2 Math Lab Statistics Math Lab Statistics AP Precalculus Accelerated Precalculus Honors

Mr. Chris Cortavarria (you can call him “Mr. C”) teaches Math at Heichal. Mr. Cortavarria, originally from Peru, earned his first undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering at Inca Garcilazo de La Vega University in Lima. He later moved to the US where he worked in the textile and transport industries while pursuing a second BA with a concentration in business, an MBA, and finally, when he switched careers, a MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) with a certification in teaching mathematics, all from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He also is certified as a teacher of students with disabilities which helps him differentiate his instruction to meet the needs of all his students. In addition to his adoration for solving complex math problems, Mr. Cortavarria enjoys aquatic sports like bodyboarding and surfing, so he spends as much time as he can with his family at the Jersey Shore. M S . C H R IST IN A D E L EO N

Ms. Christina DeLeon teaches Math at Heichal. Ms. DeLeon attended Rutgers University for both her undergraduate degree in Mathematics and her graduate degree in Mathematics Education. In addition to her moretraditional teaching roles, including her current position at Teaneck High School, Ms. DeLeon spent 16 months teaching Math in Mozambique as a Peace Corps Education Volunteer, which she taught in Porteguese, the official language of that country, which is in Southeastern Africa and a former Porteguese colony. While in the Peace Corps, Ms. DeLeon served as the local coordinator for a public health youth group called JUNTOS which developed and organized programming and education on major public health issues. C H A R L E S G A L L IG A N

Charles Galligan teaches STEM at Heichal. Mr. Galligan holds several advanced degrees, including a Masters in Computer Science and a Masters in Teaching (Mathematics). Mr. Galligan began teaching after a career in finance, during which he worked for companies such as Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns. In addition to teaching, Mr. Galligan is affiliated with several non-profit institutions.

R AV DOVI D KOME T

A close talmid of Rav Meir Twersky, Rav Komet also studied under the tutelage of Rav Hershel Schachter, and in the Kollel Elyon. Rav Komet received a B.A. in Mathematics from Yeshiva College. He later became a Meishiv at the RJJ Yeshiva of Edison. Over the past two decades, Rav Komet developed a stellar reputation as a master mechanech and talmid chacham. After many years as the tenth grade rebbe and preCalculus and Calculus teacher at Moshe Aaron Yeshiva High School, Rav Komet served as Menahel of MAYHS for three years. For the last several years, he has served as Segan Menahel of Shaarei Tzion in Piscataway, NJ. Rav Komet is respected for his sincere and warm personality, coupled with a sharp sense of humor, which enables him to form life-long relationships with his talmidim. Rav Komet serves as our tenth grade rebbe and Honors Mathematics teacher at Heichal. MR . KE N CH U N G

Mr. Ken Chung has been teaching for over 28 years. He taught for 21 years at different Teaneck High Schools and this is his second year at Heichal HaTorah. Mr. Chung completed his BS (Applied Mathematics and Economics), MA and MS in Mathematics Education with a specialty in Curriculum and Gifted Mathematics Education at Columbia University. He currently teaches AP Calculus AB and Precalculus Honors at Heical. He is thrilled to be instructing such a capable and curious collection of talmidim.

M R . STE PH E N CO M A N TO

Mr. Stephen Comanto has been a member of the Heichal HaTorah STEM department since the spring of 2018. Mr. Comanto is a graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, PA where he studied Economics and Chemistry and was a four year varsity cross country and track runner. He continued his education at Rutgers University, earning a master’s degree in Biology. After completing his studies, Mr. Comanto began his teaching career by teaching Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus before moving into the sciences to teach Chemistry, where he has remained for the past 9 years. Mr. Comanto is an avid New York sports fan and loves using his free time to travel the world. M R . J O S E PH PIT R E

Mr Pitre received his Bachelor’s Degree from Montclair State University and has been teaching for 11 years. He is also an adjunct professor and a Mymathlab supervisor at Bergen Community College. He has always enjoyed making learning fun, interactive, and engaging for all ages. His goal is to inspire students to complete educational pursuits both inside and outside the classroom.

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MATH DEPT

General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

Life Sciences track Students in the science department at Heichal HaTorah gain an in-depth understanding of the world around them through hands-on interactive courses in biology, chemistry, physics and engineering. Students will learn to gain a mastery of the subject matter, interpret scientific evidence, engage in scientific inquiry, and gain reasoning skills in the context of scientific data. The goal across all the sciences is to engage our students in an in-depth analysis of crosscutting concepts in all subject matters.

B IO LO G Y

In ninth grade, students are enrolled in a track-based biology course with exposure to a wide range of topics from Biochemistry, Cellular Structure and Organization, Energy and Cell Metabolism, Genetics and Modern Technology, Animal Form and Function, Ecology and Taxonomy. Students will explore the use of laboratory techniques to examine the many different areas covered in the classroom through experiential learning and handson interactive opportunities. They will think critically and work collaboratively to analyze the practical application of complex concepts. Research projects will provide students with the most current analysis of topics covered in the classroom often utilizing technology and online resources. Students will engage in Educational Technology incorporating some of the most up to date edtech tools into the lessons.

C H EMIST RY

In year two, students will become immersed in a yearlong chemistry course with the expectation of certain math fundamentals. Topics include Atomic Configuration, Molarity, Kinetic Gas Theory, Molecular Orbital Theory and much more. Regular labs, collaborative group work and demonstrations are incorporated into this rigorous course. Tracking includes Accelerated and Honors Chemistry.

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PH YSICS

In year three, students will take either Accelerated or Honors Physics in either an Algebra I, II, or Calculus based course with an emphasis on labs, lab reports, group work, and demonstrations. Topics include Mathematical Methods, Newtonian Mechanics, Light, Modern Physics and Relativity, Optics, Thermodynamics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Quantum Mechanics. Students in senior year have the option of taking AP Physics. All levels and courses in Physics prepare the students for college-level learning.

COURSES

Concepts in Biology Biology Accelerated Biology Honors Chemistry Accelerated Chemistry Honors Physics Accelerated Physics Honors Physics AP

MR S . DE N IE R A GO LD ENBERG Life Sciences Department Chair

Mrs. Deniera Goldenberg teaches Biology and Medical Ethics at Heichal. Mrs. Goldenberg studied Genetics and Genetic Counseling at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, majored in Biology at Stern College, and learned at Michlalah Seminary in her year abroad. Prior to joining Heichal, Mrs. Goldenberg worked at Torah Academy of Bergen County for seventeen years teaching sciences, running the Distinguished Scholars program, mentoring teachers through JNTP, and most recently serving as Chair of TABC’s Science Department. She also tutors for the Biology subject test and NYS Regents in her spare time. When she isn’t teaching, you can find Mrs. Goldenberg busy with her children, including two current Heichal Students. Mrs. Goldenberg is always available to answer your questions at dgoldenberg@heichalHaTorah.org.

MR S . AR IE L L E ZOM BERG Arielle Zomberg teaches Chemistry at Heichal. She served as a Teach for America Corps member, having been selected from among approximately 48,000 applicants to commit to teaching for two years in an under-resourced public school. She taught science at Bronx Collegiate Academy for four years. She also currently teaches at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva HIgh School, where she taught for the last four years. Arielle earned a B.A. in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience from Stern College and an M.S. in Teaching, with a major in Teaching Exceptional Adolescents Grades 7-12 at Fordham University.

DR . J O E L BE R MAN A former IDF officer, Dr. Berman received his PhD from Rutgers University in Chemical Physics and today is Heichal’s Assistant Principal of STEM. He teaches a number of advanced courses in Physics and runs our popular engineering club. He is responsible for a series of exciting upgrades to Heichal’s state-of-the-art STEM laboratory, including the installation of a 3D printer, tesla coil, vacuum chamber, optics bench, and spectrophotometer. Dr. Berman also works with Heichal students who compete in Touro College’s annual Science Olympiad and the Jerusalem Science Contest, an international competition coordinated by the Machon Lev School of Technology in Israel.

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SCIENCE DEPT

General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

Applied Sciences track A PPLIE D SC IE N C E

is a discipline that is used to apply existing scientific knowledge to develop more practical applications including, for example, technology or inventions. Students in this applied science course will use information learned from the basic sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics, for practical endeavors. Students will learn concepts of engineering, technology, coding, and robotics, among others. Students will explore the dialogue between basic science and applied science and discuss careers in applied science as well.

PH YSICA L SC IE NC E

is the study of matter and energy and includes chemistry and physics. Topics that will be studied include: matter, the periodic table, elements, mixtures, compounds, chemical reactions, light and electromagnetic spectrum, energy, heat, motion, Newton’s laws and momentum.

CO MPUT E R SC IE N C E

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introduces students to concepts such as computer architecture, networks, and the Internet. Students use object-oriented programming, event-driven processes, modular computer programming, and data manipulation algorithms to produce finished software programs. They use the design process to create many programs by determining specifications, designing the software, and testing and improving the product until it meets the specifications. By the end of this course, students will have a solid foundation for further study in computer science and careers that utilize computer science.

Heichal is a yeshiva with a strong limudei kodesh and general studies curriculum. The hanhala, rebbeim, teachers and staff go above and beyond in creating a kesher and individual learning plan for each child. Our son is thriving because he feels successful AND appreciated in Heichal. The Yeshiva has exceeded our expectations. FEIGE KOEGEL, HEICHAL PARENT

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SCIENCE DEPT

General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

COURSES

Applied Sciences Physical Sciences Computer Sciences

DR . J O E L BE R MAN Assistant Principal for STEM

A former IDF officer, Dr. Berman received his PhD from Rutgers University in Chemical Physics and today is Heichal’s Assistant Principal of STEM. He teaches a number of advanced courses in Physics and runs our popular engineering club. He is responsible for a series of exciting upgrades to Heichal’s state-of-the-art STEM laboratory, including the installation of a 3D printer, tesla coil, vacuum chamber, optics bench, and spectrophotometer. Dr. Berman also works with Heichal students who compete in Touro College’s annual Science Olympiad and the Jerusalem Science Contest, an international competition coordinated by the Machon Lev School of Technology in Israel. Dr. Berman is always available to answer your questions at jberman@heichalHaTorah.org.

MR . MIC HAE L BIN AZESKI Michael Binazeski teaches Applied Science and STEM at Heichal. Mr. Binazeski has been teaching Science for over 20 years in New Jersey. Mr. Binazesky holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry and Masters of Science in Environmental Science. Mr. Binazeski is married with two children.

MR . C HAR L E S GAL LI GAN Charles Galligan teaches STEM at Heichal. Mr. Galligan holds several advanced degrees, including a Masters in Computer Science and a Masters in Teaching (Mathematics). Mr. Galligan began teaching after a career in finance, during which he worked for companies such as Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns. In addition to teaching, Mr. Galligan is affiliated with several non-profit institutions.

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

English Department

Effective communication is essential for every aspect of life, and Heichal’s primary focus in the English department is to ensure mastery of language and communication skills for all of our students. Students develop critical, analytical reading and writing skills and empowering them to communicate effectively. Students are exposed to classical and contemporary British, American, and world literature, as well as articles and works of non-fiction, which they analyze, both in class discussions and written work. Freshmen are introduced to a smorgasbord of writers and genre in order to establish a foundation of literary terms and symbolism for them. Freshmen start at the basics of persuasive essay paragraphs, starting from the topic sentence and learning how to build a one-four paragraph essay over the course of the year. Literature that freshmen have studied over the past few years include short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Kate Chopin, O’ Henry, and Washington Irving, but also All My Sons, Julius Caesar, Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men, A Separate Peace, 1984, Night, The Odyssey and To Kill a Mockingbird.

B RIT ISH L IT E R ATU R E

The Sophomore curriculum is a traditional British Literature curriculum. The writing program bumps up the requirements to 4-5 paragraph essays, requiring students to learn how to incorporate direct quotations into their work, and to learn how to extrapolate the information in those quotations into analysis of the posed question. They also learn how to cite their references into an MLA approved “Work Cited” page. Some of the literature that we have studied over the past few years in this course have included Beowulf, “The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales”, Macbeth, Frankenstein, Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Pygmalion, and The Importance of Being Earnest.

A M ER ICAN L ITE R ATU R E

The Juniors study a traditional American Literature curriculum tracking the important literary movements starting from Hawthorne and his romanticism, to the realism of Mark Twain, William Dean Howells and Henry James. We also study the naturalism of Stephen Crane and Edith Wharton, the transcendentalism of Emerson, Whitman, Dickinson and Frost, and we end the year with the social criticism of Steinbeck, Arthur Miller, and Tennessee Williams. At this point, students are expected to write persuasive essays of 6-8 paragraphs, incorporating the argumentation and viewpoints of one to two secondary sources in addition to the primary sources about which they are writing.

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WO R LD L ITE R ATU R E

Seniors study a World Literature curriculum including Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Sophocles’ Antigone, Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Otsuka’s When the Emperor was Divine, Monzaemon’s Love Suicides at Sonezaki, Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac and many short stories and poems from around the world. Students begin the year by writing their “mock” personal essays for college, and spend the rest of the year working on doing research for essays and fine-tuning their writing skills to bring it up to college level standards. Students who have been in the honors track may opt for A.P. English Literature and Composition, for which they may receive college credit upon successful completion of the AP English exam administered by the College Board.

COURSES

English 9 Writing and Literature Seminar English 9 Writing and Literature Seminar Accelerated English 9 Writing and Literature Seminar Honors Tikvah Ancient History and Literature High Honors English 10 Writing and Literature Seminar English 10 Writing and Literature Seminar Accelerated English 10 Writing and Literature Seminar Honors Tikvah European History and Literature High Honors English 11 Writing and Literature Seminar English 11 Writing and Literature Seminar Accelerated English 11 Writing and Literature Seminar Honors Tikvah United States History and Literature High Honors English 12 Writing and Literature Seminar English 12 Writing and Literature Seminar Accelerated English 12 Writing and Literature Seminar Honors Tikvah Jewish History and Literature High Honors Journalism AP English Composition AP English Literature

M R S . E ST H E R BE RTRAM -HERZFELD English Department Chair

Mrs. Esther Herzfeld begins her 38th year as a high school English teacher this year. Mrs. Herzfeld earned a B.A. and M.A. in English and American Literature from NYU. She is licensed to teach middle school through high school English. Prior to joining Heichal’s faculty, Mrs. Herzfeld taught English and was chair of the English department at both Yeshiva University H.S. for Girls and Ma’ayanot Yeshiva H.S. for Girls. Mrs. Herzfeld has taught all grades of high school as well as all academic levels, including Advanced Placement. In 1987, she received the prestigious New York State Principal’s Master Teacher Award. Mrs. Herzfeld is always available to answer your questions at eherzfeld@heichalHaTorah.org

D R . CAR O L MAST ER Dr. Carol Master teaches English at Heichal. Dr. Master is an honors graduate of New York University, where she majored in English, and received an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University, both in English, with a focus on Dramatic Literature and Criticism. Her extensive teaching career has included roles in Israel, the New School, Ramaz, and her twenty-nine year tenure at TABC, where she developed curricula, taught every grade level and served as department chair. Perhaps unsurprisingly, in her spare time, Dr. Master likes to read as well as spend time with her grandchildren.

M R . C HAYIM TAU B ER Mr. Tauber teaches English at Heichal. He has a varied background in English that earned him recognition in the TV, print, and classroom arenas. After helping to launch the Writing Center at SUNY Rockland, Mr. Tauber pursued a career in sports journalism, becoming a sports editor for a New York newspaper and the beat reporter for both the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. For a brief period, he was selected to be a United States Ambassador to Israel. Mr. Tauber eventually left the newsroom for the classroom, where he has spent the past eight years teaching English Language Arts. He has also served as a curriculum director and athletic director.

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ENGLISH DEPT

General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

Preparing Students for College and Their Careers

History Department Students in the History Department at Heichal HaTorah benefit from a multimodel approach to learning through an inquiry-based approach that combines technology with a conceptual understanding of both the world of the past as well as the world the students have inherited. Courses include World History, US History and Jewish History. History students focus on the key ideas by examining perspectives, trends, and issues of people of historical periods. History students develop questions; apply disciplinary tools and concepts; evaluate sources and use evidence; communicate conclusions and take informed action.

WO RL D H ISTO RY

In ninth grade, students study World History. The students learn about the beginning of civilization in the four river valleys, the Cradle of Civilization. They encounter the classical world of ancient Greece and Rome, followed by the Byzantines, the Muslims, and the Mongols, the Dark Ages, the Age of Enlightenment, and the Age of Exploration, and culminates with the social, political, and economic forces that set the stage for the creation of the State of Israel.

U S H ISTORY

In tenth grade, students study US History from 1609 with the settlement of Jamestown through the American Revolution, the creation of the Constitution through Manifest Destiny, the Civil War, and the conclusion of the Reconstruction of the South in 1877. In eleventh grade, students study US History from the beginning of the Gilded Age in 1877 through the Spanish American War, World War One and World War Two. Students examine the post World War Two decades through the critical social, political and economic lenses from the dropping of the Atomic Bomb in 1945 until the collapse of the housing market in 2008.

JEWISH H ISTO RY

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Students in the twelfth grade study Jewish History starting from the Babylonian exile. Students learn about the Persian, Greek and Roman periods of Jewish history. Students learn about major Torah personalities and the communities they lived in. Students identify key social, political and economic forces that culminated in the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.

Heichal HaTorah is a fantastic Yeshiva! In just the few short months that our son has been part of Heichal, he’s been immersed in top notch learning, in both limudei kodesh and limudei chol. Looking forward to the years ahead! HEICHAL PARENT

COURSES

World History 9 World History 9 Accelerated World History 9 Honors Tikvah Ancient History and Literature World History 10 US History 10 Accelerated US History 10 Honors Tikvah European History and Literature US History 11 US History 11 Accelerated US History 11 Honors Tikvah US History and Literature Jewish History Tikvah Jewish History and Literature AP US History

MR . DAVID R OH E R History Department Chair

Mr. Roher teaches the Humanities in the New York City public high school system. A veteran teacher, he comes to Heichal from Yeshiva Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, where he taught social studies to the seventh through eleventh grades. He received his B.A. from SUNY Purchase and his Master’s degree in Special Education from Long Island University. He was recently accepted to a PhD program in History. Mr. Roher is always available to answer your questions at droher@heichalHaTorah.org.

MR . E L I KAT Z Mr. Eli Katz teaches History at Heichal as well as serving as our College Counselor. Mr. Katz learned at Yeshivat HaKotel for 2 years and then studied History at Yeshiva University with a minor in Judaic Studies. Mr. Katz began his teaching career in Philadelphia where he served as a member of the history faculty, religious guidance advisor, varsity boys’ basketball coach, and assistant athletic director at Kohelet Yeshiva High School. A few years ago, he moved to the New York area where he served as the upper school athletic director and boys’ baseball and basketball coach at Ramaz and taught at TABC. For the past five years, Mr. Katz has served as the assistant basketball coach for the YU men’s team. Mr. Katz’s commitment to children and Jewish education began early. As a college student, he was an advisor and program coordinator for NCSY, tutored public school students in Washington Heights, and served as president of YU’s aspiring educators club, Al Pi Darko. When Mr. Katz isn’t working, you can find him running or baking, two activities which may seem designed to offset one another. Mr. Katz is always available to answer your questions at ekatz@heichalHaTorah.org.

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HISTORY DEPT

General Studies @ Heichal HaTorah

‫חנוך לנער על פי‬ ‫דרכו גם כי יזקין‬ ‫לא יסור ממנו‬ CARING FOR EACH NESHAMA LIKE IT’S OUR OWN CHILD

Guidance

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AT HEICHAL HATORAH

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The warmth and care at Heichal is something you cannot find anywhere else. The careful attention and detail given to each student in guiding them through their academic needs and their overall growth is immeasurable. At Heichal a student’s confidence soars since he is celebrated for what makes him special. Rabbi Stechler‘s guidance and insight is something you will not find anywhere else from a head of school. He does not sit behind a desk, he is part and parcel of the daily life at Heichal. HEICHAL PARENT, PARENT OF A HEICHAL ALUMNUS

Caring for Each Neshama Like It’s Our Own Child

re you stressed out about your science test? Need help writing your essay? Can’t decide what to do this summer? High school is full of decisions and dilemmas and the Heichal Guidance Department is here to help! We have a large team with a variety of specialties and backgrounds. Talmidim can schedule a meeting or drop into one of the guidance offices to shmooze. We are invested in every talmid’s emotional, social, spiritual, and academic growth. In addition to their rebbeim and hanhala, talmidim also have members of the guidance team closely monitoring their progress and development. A point of pride at Heichal is the strong kesher we have with the talmidim, the guidance team knows all of the talmidim and all the talmidim know the guidance team! Another area of focus is academic support. Students receive assistance with planning, studying, notes, and just about anything else that will help them excel scholastically. Students with learning challenges are provided with a Student Plan and we work with teachers, rebbeim, and administrators to provide targeted accommodations such as extra time for tests, assistive technology, texts and exams in audio format, and more.

Dr. Ariel Klein “WE ARE INVESTED IN EVERY TALMID’S EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL, AND ACADEMIC GROWTH.”

The Guidance Team frequently communicates with parents and is accessible to speak by phone, email, or in person. We are also in touch with outside service providers such as therapists, physicians, tutors, and Bergen County Special Services.

AKlein Sincerely,

Dr. Ariel Klein

Dr. Ariel Klein serves as Heichal’s Director of Guidance. Dr. Klein has served in a variety of leadership roles in schools, community organizations, and summer camps. Most recently, he helped grow MTA’s academic support programs as the Learning Center Coordinator. Dr. Klein is a certified school psychologist. He earned a Master’s degree in School Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and completed his doctoral course work at Rutgers Graduate School for Applied and Professional Psychology. Dr. Klein previously graduated from Yeshiva University and The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy (MTA), and spent time learning abroad at Yeshivat Shaarei Mevaseret Zion. His main role at Heichal is to help students navigate their socialemotional and academic challenges. He works hand-in-hand with parents and teachers to support the students’ needs. Dr. Klein’s warm, caring and fun personality make him easily approachable and his office a favorite hang-out for students.

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Dr. Ariel Klein is always available for questions at aklein@heichalHaTorah.org

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Guidance @ Heichal HaTorah

Guidance Department We believe that it is our responsibility to ensure the social, emotional, and spiritual development of each child. Our guidance department comprises senior rebbeim and experienced professionals who meet with students regularly to discuss and address any challenges they may be confronting and help plan for their futures. Our yeshiva is small enough to afford each student personal attention, while large enough to maintain a robust roster of professionals equipped to navigate the numerous challenges and opportunities of the high school years.

Personalized Growth ‫חנוך לנער על פי קרכו‬

Caring for Each Neshama Like It’s Our Own Child

Spiritual Guidance

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The adolescent years are fraught with questions and challenges, particularly in this age of technology and open society. Heichal has both a Mashgiach and Mashpiah, who both spend hours each day meeting individually Heichal talmidim. Rav Daniel Schwechter, former Mashgaich of Westchester Day School and now the Mashgiach of Heichal, is known for his ability to inspire all high school boys and connect them with Hashem in a deep and meaningful way. Whether it is a masterful mashal or an intricate piece of chassidus, Rav Schwechter finds a way to connect with the hearts and souls of all our talmidim. Rav Chaim Marcus, Rabbi of Springfield, NJ and formerly senior rebbe at Bruriah High School, serves as the Heichal Mashpiah Both parents and talmidim flock to speak with him privately to receive his world-renowned compassionate advice on raising children and growing up in these challenging times. His inspiring divrei Torah radiate throughout Heichal’s bais medrash and bring exciting ruach to our tisches.

Heichal provided a warm home that made me feel excited about the life I was going to lead in my future. They gave me constant hope and optimism for my success even when I was not at my best. The level of achdus amongst Rabbeim and students is something I will cherish for life. HEICHAL ALUMNUS

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Guidance @ Heichal HaTorah

Rav Chaim Marcus Rav Chaim Marcus is the Heichal Mashpiah and also teaches an Iyun shiur to seniors. Rav Marcus studied under Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, at Har Etzion, and earned his semicha at RIETS, Yeshiva University. In addition to serving as the morah d’asrah of Congregation Israel of Springfield (CIS), Rav Marcus was the Senior Halacha Rabbi of Bruriah High School for Girls for nearly two decades, and leads the Semichat Chaver program at CIS. “It is an honor that Rav Marcus, one of the most influential and inspirational rabbis in our community, has chosen Heichal to continue to his illustrious chinuch career,” said Rav Stechler.

Rav MARCUS CAN BE REACHED at rcm@heichalHaTorah.org

SHUA WILHELM, HEICHAL ALUMNUS

Rav Daniel Schwechter Rav Schwechter is the Heichal Mashgiach and an Iyun rebbe. Rav Schwechter learned in Yeshivat Reishit for one year under Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, and at YU under Rav Baruch Simon. Rav Schwechter has an undergraduate degree in Psychology, from Yeshiva University. He received semichah from Rav Schachter after learning in his kollel for three years, two of which he spent in the satellite kollel in the DRS beis medrash with Rosh Kollel Rav Shmuel Marcus. After receiving semichah, he became a rebbe at Westchester Day School, and eventually became the Mashgiach Ruchani. Rav Schwechter is the Rav of a teen minyan on Shabbos. Rav Schwechter is renowned for his commitment to and connection with all types of talmidim.

Rav SCHWECHTER CAN BE REACHED AT rdschwechter@heichalHaTorah.org

Caring for Each Neshama Like It’s Our Own Child

Israel Guidance Israel guidance focuses on the year following graduation with the goal of finding a yeshiva in Israel that will help each talmid take the next steps in the Torah learning and growth in Avodas HaShem. Rav Stechler, Rav Komet, Rav Marcus and Rav Schwechter work closely with all the yeshivos in Israel to evaluate their suitability for our talmidim. Heichal invites yeshiva representatives to visit our yeshiva and speak with our talmidim in person. It is the policy of Heichal not to promote any specific yeshiva, but rather, to assist our talmidim and their parents in finding two yeshivas that fit for each talmid’s educational needs, learning styles, and hashkafic outlooks. Heichal also believes that each talmid and his parents should consider whether learning in Israel is in the talmid’s best interest. Some talmidim may choose to stay in Heichal Bais Medrash, or another Bais Medrash in America, and learn in Israel at a later stage of their lives.

Rav Dovid Komet A close talmid of Rav Meir Twersky, shlit”a, Rav Komet also studied under the tutelage of Rav Hershel Schachter, shlit”a, and in the Kollel Elyon. Rav Komet received a B.A. in Mathematics from Yeshiva College. He later became a Meishiv at the RJJ Yeshiva of Edison. Over the past two decades, Rav Komet developed a stellar reputation as a master mechanech and talmid chacham. After many years as the tenth grade rebbe and pre-Calculus and Calculus teacher at Moshe Aaron Yeshiva High School, Rav Komet served as Menahel of MAYHS for three years. For the last several years, he has served as Segan Menahel of Shaarei Tzion in Piscataway, NJ. Rav Komet is respected for his sincere and warm personality, coupled with a sharp sense of humor, which enables him to form life-long relationships with his talmidim. Rav Komet serves as our tenth grade rebbe and Honors Mathematics teacher at Heichal.

Rav KOMET can be reached at rdk@heichalHaTorah.org HEICHAL GRADUATES ATTEND THE FOLLOWING YESHIVOS IN ERETZ YISRAEL:

Yeshivat Sha’alvim

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Rav Daniel Schwechter

Rav SCHWECHTER can be reached at rdschwechter@heichalHaTorah.org

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Guidance @ Heichal HaTorah

College Guidance Early in senior year, parents are invited to the yeshiva for “Yeshiva and College Night,” to learn from our College Guidance Coordinator, Eli Katz, and Academic Dean, Rabbi Avishur, about the college application and admission process. Heichal coordinates standardized testing for all students, including SATs and ACTs. Each student and family will meet with the College Guidance Consultant and Academic Dean to create a personalized plan for college application and admission, and to develop a competitive high school resume (e.g., with the inclusion of extracurricular activities). In addition, Heichal coordinates career fairs, individual guidance sessions and professional mentorships to help each student plan his career aspirations.

HEICHAL RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING YESHIVA AND COLLEGE PROGRAMS (ALTHOUGH WE WORK WITH STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS TO GAIN ACCEPTANCE TO THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE):

Landers College

Ner Yisroel

Yeshiva University’s Honors and Masmidim Programs Touro’s Lander College Honors Program Heichal Bais Medrash and College Program Yeshivas Ner Yisroel and Johns Hopkins Program

Mr. Eli Katz Mr. Eli Katz teaches History at Heichal as well as serving as our College Counselor. Mr. Katz learned at Yeshivat HaKotel for 2 years and then studied History at Yeshiva University with a minor in Judaic Studies. Mr. Katz began his teaching career in Philadelphia where he served as a member of the history faculty, religious guidance advisor, varsity boys’ basketball coach, and assistant athletic director at Kohelet Yeshiva High School. A few years ago, he moved to the New York area where he served as the upper school athletic director and boys’ baseball and basketball coach at Ramaz and taught at TABC. For the past five years, Mr. Katz has served as the assistant basketball coach for the YU men’s team. Mr. Katz’s commitment to children and Jewish education began early. As a college student, he was an advisor and program coordinator for NCSY, tutored public school students in Washington Heights, and served as president of YU’s aspiring educators club, Al Pi Darko. When Mr. Katz isn’t working, you can find him running or baking, two activities which may seem designed to offset one another.

Mr. Katz is always available to answer your questions at ekatz@heichalHaTorah.org

Caring for Each Neshama Like It’s Our Own Child

Freshmen Skills Boot Camp

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Motivation & Attitude Taking Notes Classroom Participation Writing Skills Organizing & Planning Self-Care

For the first week of Freshman year, all students receive explicit instruction in areas of basic high school readiness from our expert teachers and faculty.

This provides an opportunity for students to get a jump start on high school and is in addition to the skills training that is already integrated in the 9th grade curricula.

As a parent of a new fresh 9th grader, we didn’t know what to expect. We had heard of the legendary warm environment present in the halls and classrooms of Heichal HaTorah but we weren’t sure how quickly our son would acclimate. Fast forward to mid-October and our findings have exceeded our wildest expectations. Every last Rabbi, teacher, administrator, and faculty member has been operating in the most nurturing and supportive way from day one. Every decision made by any and all staff is governed by a single principle - what is best for the talmid. We see this dynamic both consistently and deliberately, as this culture is embedded into the very fibers of what this institution was founded on. We are so happy and fortunate to have been invited to join this Heichal family. We have no doubt this cocoon will be the optimum place for our son to grow.

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YOSEF GOLUBCHIK, HEICHAL PARENT

Presenters include: Rabbi Avishur, Rabbi Heller, Mr. Tauber, Mr. Roher, Dr. Master, Mr. Roher and Mr. Katz.

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Guidance @ Heichal HaTorah

Big Brothers Program Starting high school is a challenge! Heichal Big Brothers are here to help! Heichal Big Brothers are 11th and 12th grade volunteers who are available to help 9th grade students with whatever they need. Each Freshman has a personal Big Brother specifically matched to fit his personality and interests. Big Brothers serve as mentors and advisors both informally (shmoozing at lunch, playing ball in the gym, giving guidance about classes) and at formal programs like teambuilding activities, sponsored meals out, and trips. The experience has been a highlight for Freshman and Big Brothers alike, and many still keep in touch years later even after graduating Heichal.

As a new Heichal parent I am so impressed with the love and care given to each Talmid. This yeshiva is a true example of what a Torah institution should be like. Even though it’s an institution, it’s run like a big family. The warmth and thought given into each thing is beyond. MICHAL FEUER, HEICHAL PARENT

‫ה’ בשמחה‬

EVERY DAY AT HEIC

Studen

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AT HEICHAL

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‫עבדו את ה‬

CHAL IS AWESOME

nt Life

L HATORAH

Our son actually does love being in school! He comes home from school very happy and frequently has a story about some surprise student life activity that was offered that day. His Rebbeim, and older students, are warm and inspiring role models for him. The Heichal administration and Rav Stechler make the parents and students feel like they’re part of one big family. PARENT OF A HEICHAL ALUMNUS

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

he atmosphere here in Heichal is electric!

It’s hard to articulate but it’s very different from middle school. Everyone of my guys wants to be here. We want you to be excited about coming to yeshiva every single day. We have a number of ways we get to this goal. We care about your interests. Love sports? Have other hobbies? Which club will you partake in? We have over 30 clubs to choose from each semester. Everyone gets involved. Every September to start off the yeshiva year, we go on an amazing opening day trip. In past years we have gone rafting, kayaking and had a blast at a really fun Aqua Park. While these trips are fun, the real goal of the trip is for you to meet your new classmates and rebbeim. In order to reward you for all the hard work you’re going to put in, we have in place two recreational trips. In January after midterms, we rent out a massive water park. IT IS SO MUCH FUN! Another exciting trip that the boys look forward to is a ski/snow tubing trip around Rosh Chodesh Adar. You’re going to love it!

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At Heichal, we believe that learning is not limited to the four walls of a classroom. We are truly excited about our amazing educational trips. Every grade goes on an outing corresponding to what they were learning in

their General Studies subjects. We visit historical places in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA and museums in NYC. We schedule an awesome event about once a month. Special events including dvrei chizuk from worldrenowned rabbanim, to an inspirational evening with world famous in-yeshiva musicians. Sometimes we will just surprise you, you won’t know what hit you. Maybe a special breakfast, an ice cream day, ice coffee to get you started and maybe a big time surprise by one of our many in yeshiva programs. In the past we have brought the entertainment to us: rock climbing wall, laser tag, ice skating, axe throwing once we even closed down the block around yeshiva for a 300 foot zip line!! We have many more exciting programs planned for the upcoming year. Another great aspect of student life at Heichal are the Shabbatons, which include yeshiva-wide Shabbatons, grade Shabbatons and neighborhood Shabbatons. There is no Shabbos like a Heichal Shabbaton!

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

“EVERY ONE OF MY GUYS WANTS TO BE HERE.”

The boys that are in this Yeshiva are outstanding. Their middos, their concern for others, and their Mentchlechkeit are exceptional. Our goal is to mold these young men into well rounded Bnei Torah. My top priority here is to make my talmidim happy every single day.

Heichal is incredible. We have rebbeim that truly care about each talmid, our faculty is world-class, and our administration is fully invested in every talmid’s success. Heichal is truly remarkable.

AviEpstein Looking forward to meeting you,

Rav Avi Epstein

Rav Avi Epstein Rabbi Avi Epstein is known as an energetic and dynamic mechanech who has the ability to connect with and motivate students. Avi grew up in Monsey, New York and studied in Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim for six years. At the Mesivta of Waterbury, Rabbi Epstein served as a mentor and role model for hundreds of boys. He created and implemented both in-school and extra-curricular programs and activities, which empowered the boys to increase their self-esteem and helped facilitate their success in and out of the classroom. At RYNJ, he was a popular middle school rebbe and assistant program director. This past summer, Rabbi Epstein served as director of Shoresh Day Camp.

Rav Avi is always available for questions at aviepstein@HeichalHaTorah.org or 201.335.0633 ext #3

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

Student Life At Heichal, every talmid loves coming to yeshiva every day. Why? Because there are so many fun activities and extra-crricular activities and clubs happening all the time. In the beginning of the year and at the end of the year, the yeshiva goes away to hotels and camps to spend a meaningful and fun Shabbos together. Every 4-6 weeks the talmidim have a crazy fun activity at yeshiva, such as ziplining or axe-throwing, or a recreational trip, to Top Golf or a beautiful hike. Once a month, world-famous singers, such as Eitan Katz and Mordechai Shapiro inspire Heichal with a meaningful kumzitz or a wild dance set that lights Heichal on fire.

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The Kumzitz Selichos, Heichal Tehillim-a-thon, Heichal Simchas Bais HaShoeivah, Heichal Purim Chagigah and Tomchei Shabbos Pesach Packing Day are some of the yearly highlights. Constant inspiration from Gedolei Yisroel, such as Rav Hershel Schachter, Rosh Yeshiva of YU, Rav Yeruchin Olshin, Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood, and the Bostoner Rebbe, is a critical part to the Heichal experience.

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

SHABBATONIM Shabbatons are unique opportunities for bonding between talmidim and their friends and rebbeim, and are considered an integral part of the Heichal experience. Several times throughout the year, we gather in Monsey, Passaic, or Bergenfield for an “In Shabbos.” The davening, meals, onegs, and sedarim during those weekends create a joyful and uplifting environment that carries forward to the yeshiva and beyond. Additionally, twice a year, the entire yeshiva travels to a special location for a Shabbos of fun and inspiration. Whether the setting is a camp in the mountains or a giant mansion, the change of scenery and fresh air inspire our talmidim to build a more meaningful connection to Hashem. Highlights of our Shabbatonim include lively singing and dancing, a Leil Shabbos Tisch, delicious seudos, words of Torah and inspiration from the Rosh Yeshiva, rebbeim, and select talmidim, a gala Motzei Shabbos barbecue, picturesque hikes and an array of sports and tournaments. Many of our rebbeim live in the same communities as our talmidim, and invite them over for Shabbos and Yom Tov meals. This serves to strengthen the integral rebbe-talmid bond.

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

Clubs Heichal talmidim have extensive time during the yeshiva day, during the recreational afternoon break at 2:20 PM to 3:10 PM, and during the dinner break on Mondays and Thursdays, to pursue and develop their extracurricular interests. The wide array of clubs, from astronomy to ulpan, and athletics, from basketball to weight lifting, are sure to help every talmid develop a hobby or interest that can be a healthy and fun outlet to enjoy for his high school years and beyond.

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2 B AL L TO U R N EY A ST R ON O MY A RT C LU B AVIAT ION C LU B B A ND B B Q C LU B B OAR D GAME S B OWL ING C LU B CHE SS C LU B COMPUTE R CO DING CLU B CU L INARY C LU B CYC L IN G C LU B D EBATE C LU B D RAMA C LU B D RIVE R ’ S E D FINANC E C LU B

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

FOOTBALL ENGI NEERI NG FI RST AI D / CPR CERTI FI CATI ON GUI TAR CLUB HOCKEY I CE SKATI NG KRAV M AGA LI FEGUARD COURSE NEWSPAPER CLUB PERSONAL TRAI NI NG PUBLI C SPEAKI NG ROWI NG CLUB SAT PREP SKI CLUB SPI KEBALL SPORTS M ANAGEM ENT

• • • • • • • •

S P ORTS MA RK ETING CLUB S WIM CLUB TRACK CLUB ULPA N VOLLEYB A LL WEB DES IG N CLUB WIF F LEB A LL YOUNG A MERICA NS FOR F REEDOM @ HEICHA L

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

Competitions SCI ENCE OLYM PI AD

Students work in teams to invent technology based on the theme of that year’s competitions. The Lander College Science Olympiad competition includes yeshiva high schools throughout the metropolitan area.

TORAH BOWL

The team will have meets with 3 other schools to compete in answering questions on the assigned Chumash and Rashi. Meetings/practice take place during breakfast on Wednesday. Torah Bowl is a team competition against other metropolitan area yeshiva high schools. Teams of four students compete at a time, and questions are based on a pre-designated portion of Torah and Nach. Students study on their own to prepare for the Torah Bowl.

JERUSALEM SCI ENCE CONTEST

The topic of this year’s competition is nanotechnology and associated Torah topics. Interested students are provided with textual materials, as well as videos to learn from. Winners can earn scholarships and prizes.

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

SPORTS EXE RC IS E

Exercise is scheduled for one hour every day. Our talmidim may choose to spend this hour in a variety of ways, including basketball, football, hockey or soccer in our regulation-size gym, ping pong in the student lounge, weight and aerobic training in our fitness gym, and twice a week, swimming in our gorgeous heated pool.

H EIC H AL HO R N E TS

JV and Varsity Basketball Teams Our competitive all-star Heichal Hornets play in the Young Israel Basketball League. Our JV and Varsity basketball teams, the Heichal Hornets, compete in the Young Israel Basketball League. Last year, our JV team capped off an unforgettable season with a thrilling victory in the league championship. The Hornets are coached by Coach Omer Ginzburski, who has coached professionally in Israel, and is currently the Assistant Head Coach at Touro College. JV and Varsity Softball Teams Our Heichal Hornets softball teams play in the Yeshiva Spring League.

IN T R A M UR ALS

Basketball and Hockey Intramurals are held for all grades throughout the year. Heichal has partnered up with Zion Sports Academy to allow our boys to participate in a professional AAU travel basketball team that does not conflict with our yeshiva day.

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HEICHAL SPORTS CLUBS

Tennis Volleyball Track Fitness Bowling Golf Skiing

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

Heichal HaTorah is as good as it gets when it comes to providing a wholesome Torah and secular education par excellence to its students, each boy on his own level. Heichal achieves this by nurturing the boys in multiple ways; helping them develop healthy mindsets, good learning habits and excellent middos, whilst taking care of them physically with nourishing, delicious meals and exciting treats, and giving the boys opportunities to practice and develop sports, music and other extra-curricular activities. Heichal’s dedicated team really does treat each boy as a whole, and my husband and I are thrilled and honored to have them partner with us to raise and educate our son in the best possible manner.

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ESTHER LAMN, HEICHAL PARENT

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

Attending Heichal was the best decision of my life BH, and it really put me on the correct path for life, with Rebbeim, teachers, and administrators like no other. I am forever indebted to Heichal… YOEL SCHMUTTER, HEICHAL STUDENT

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

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Throughout the year Heichal hosts many large events for our talmidim and the entire community, including The Kumzitz Selichos - a meaningful singing Selichos experience, Heichal Tehillima-thon - together Heichal talmidim recite and sing all of Tehillim, Heichal Simchas Bais HaShoeivah and Summer Mega Siyum, the crazy and famous Heichal Purim Chagigah, and Tomchei Shabbos Pesach Packing Day - when our boys pack 1,000 boxes for those less fortunate to enjoy Pesach. These are some of the most special programs of the year.

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

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EDUCATIONAL TRIPS

At Heichal, we firmly believe that learning should not be limited to a classroom setting. Last year, each grade went on its own educational trip, corresponding to the material they were learning in their General Studies subjects. Freshmen went to New York City for a visit to the American Museum of Natural History. Sophomores went on a full day trip to Philadelphia, where they toured Liberty Hall and other historical sites. Juniors went on an actionpacked overnight trip to the D.C. area, where they spent time in the Spy Museum, the Holocaust Museum, Ford’s Theater and the Air and Space Museum.

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

RECREATIONAL TRIPS As part of our goal of developing a well-rounded student, we embark on a number of outings throughout the year, both for the yeshiva as a whole and for individual grades as well. These trips allow students and their rebbeim the opportunity to relax outside the four walls of the yeshiva, and help foster camaraderie among old and new friends. This year, our annual “opening-of-the-year” trip took place at Dutch Springs Aqua Park. Our talmidim had a great time reconnecting with their classmates, meeting new students and spending time with their rebbeim in an informal environment. During the winter months, Heichal rents out an indoor water park, and travels to Jack Frost Ski Resort.

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

In addition to the excellent education, there have been so many opportunities for fun! In just two months, he’s been to a bowling outing, a Friday night oneg, a Simchas Bais HaShoeivah, a Shabbaton, a hike and a barbecue. Looking forward to the years ahead! HEICHAL PARENT

SPECIAL DAYS

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Every six weeks Heichal includes a special programming day at Heichal just to energize the student body, this includes: building a giant zip-line in the street around Heichal, building a giant ice skating rink in Heichal parking lot, renting an axe throwing truck and bubble soccer in the Heichal gym.

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

HEICHAL CHESSED CREW Take part in a wide range of chessed opportunities ranging from assisting Tomchei Shabbos and Yad Leah to visiting elderly individuals.

Being a rebbe in Heichal is a personally enriching experience. The warmth and friendship in the halls of the yeshiva coupled with the bochurim’s deep bikush (desire) for aliyah is inspiring and tremendously motivating. DANI STAUM, HEICHAL REBBE

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

SINGERS

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Music, song, and dance are powerful methods of awakening our spirits and souls as Jews. Singers who have performed at Heichal include Zusha, Eitan Katz, Joey Newcomb, Karduner, Beri Weber, Uri Davidi, 8th Day, Yoni Z, Mordechai Shapiro, Dudi Knopfler, Melich Krohn, and Yosef Karduner. These events, from kumsitzes to chagigahs and concerts are powerful opportunities for the talmidim and rebbeim to bond while opening their hearts to Hashem. The exuberance and achdus displayed during these special events is inspiring to all and a hallmark of the Heichal experience.

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

I am always amazed by the bein adam l’chaveiro at Heichal. The guys are consistently thoughtful and caring when they interact with each other which creates a great environment where everyone is comfortable being themselves. It definitely makes my job as the Guidance Director a lot easier! DR. ARI KLEIN, DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE

Every Day at Heichal is Awesome

GEDOLEI YISROEL

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Throughout the school year, Heichal talmidim are fortunate enough to meet and hear from a broad variety of world-renowned Torah personalities, from Rav Hershel Schachter, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva University to Rav Yeruchim Olshin, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha, Lakewood, NJ. There is no better way to imbue in them a strong feeling of ahavas Yisrael and pride in their Jewish identity that they will maintain far beyond the walls of our yeshiva.

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Student Life @ Heichal HaTorah

Our son Aryeh is a Heichal 10th grader. From the moment in 8th grade when he received his acceptance letter until today, Rabbi Stechler and the Heichal administration have been a constant source of motivating and inspiring programming, all designed to discover and develop the growth potential in the boys as they forge their unique paths in Limud Torah and Avodas Hashem. IRA AND TOVA SHULMAN, HEICHAL PARENTS

WALKING YOU THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS

admissions

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AT HEICHAL HATORAH

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Heichal has provided our boys the perfect environment to grow in ‫לימוד התורה‬, in ‫יראת שמים‬, and, most importantly, as people. They strike just the right balance of pushing the boys to reach their potential while maintaining an atmosphere where the boys can have fun and enjoy all aspects of the Yeshiva. HEICHAL PARENT PARENT OF A HEICHAL ALUMNUS

Walking You Through Every Step of the Process

ear Prospective Parents,

Thank you for exploring Heichal HaTorah for your son. Heichal is dedicated to providing a classic Yeshiva education alongside a superior General Studies program in a culture infused with excitement, warmth, and passion for growth.

We believe that a key measure of a talmid’s success is his love for learning and excitement for Yiddishkeit.

Two of my sons attended Heichal. They could not be more different in personality as well as academic interests - yet they both excelled at this school. Heichal’s staff hones in on each boy’s strength and helps him shine. HEICHAL PARENT

Choosing a high school is a critical decision that impacts the direction your son will take for the rest of his life, and we look forward to helping you learn about why Heichal might be the right choice. Heichal has earned a reputation as a yeshiva that blends a high level of Torah learning and academics while ensuring that our students also have access to activities that enrich them beyond the classroom, including diverse clubs, sports, trips, and shabbatons. Rabbi Stechler and I are always available throughout the admissions process to help you learn about our yeshiva. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Rav Stechler to set up a personal meeting to discuss your son’s future at Heichal.

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Rabbi Avi Epstein Director of Admissions, Heichal HaTorah

AviEpstein aviepstein@heichalHaTorah.org 201.335.0633 ext 3

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Admissions @ Heichal HaTorah

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

M A L AVA MAL KA FOR PR OSPECTIVE STU DE N TS O PE N H OU SE FO R PR O SPECTIVE PA RE N TS FILL O UT APPL ICAT ION BEFORE D EC EMBE R 1, 2021

The application can be found on our website under admissions: www.heichalHaTorah.org 4

SET U P INTE R VIEW U SING OUR EL ECT RON IC CAL E N DLY SYSTEM IN T ER VIEW FO R PR O SPECTIVE PA RE N TS AND TAL MIDIM

The interview will last 45 minutes. Your son will meet with Rav Stechler, Rabbi Avishur, Rabbi Epstein, and will then have a Bechina (Gemara test) with Rav Oberlander. He should prepare the Gemara and Rashi of his choice. Tosfos is not mandatory but encouraged. Parents will meet with Rav Stechler, Rabbi Epstein, and Rabbi Avishur.

PA RLO R ME E T ING

Heichal hosts parlor meetings in Bergenfield, Edison, Hillside, Monsey, Passaic, Riverdale and Staten Island. It is a great opportunity to discuss Heichal with Rav Stechler and other administrators and rebbeim.

RECO N N ECT WIT H YO U R HEI CHAL PA RE N T AMBASSADO R Stay in touch with Heichal parents that you met with at the Heichal Open House.

RECE IVE L E T TE R OF ACC EPTANCE O N T H U R SDAY, FE BR UARY 17TH 9

R EGIST E R BE FOR E MARCH 15, 2022 AND OFFIC IAL LY BEGI N YO U R H E IC H AL J OU RNEY

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FEATURES

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We are very impressed with all aspects of the Heichal HaTorah Experience. Starting with Rav Stechler and the hanhala, to the rebeim, teachers and staff, every member of the Heichal team is dedicated, professional and excels at what they do. The school’s building as well is large and well suited for the needs of the school. May the school go meichail el choyil. SHMUEL LAMM, HEICHAL PARENT

The students, staff, and hanhala work together in tandem to provide the best experience for the talmidim. The ruach of camaraderie and respect among the talmidim, staff, and hanhala is really remarkable.

Because of the people I work with, the students I teach and the truthful nature of the mission. MR. ELI KATZ

RAV MORDECHAI REISS

Heichal’s vibe is one of happiness and comfort. The guys look out for one another. You can be comfortable being yourself. The Rabbeim and Talmidim are looking for ways to grow and help others grow as well. RAV AVI OBERLANDER

Why do teaching a

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Great environment of growth and warmth. Heichal is like no other. The talmidim here have each other’s back and the rabbeim are always looking for ways to help talmidim in any way they can.

RAV CHAIM ZEV SENTER

I believe in solid religious and secular educations. RABBI DR. JOEL BERMAN

It is a very respectful environment and gives me opportunities to improve my professional capabilities. MR. CHRISTIAN CORTAVARRIA

It’s a privilege every day to have to opportunity to work with such an amazing group of people dedicated to the development and growth of Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s children!

o I love at Heichal?

RAV SHIMON KRONENBERG

It is a warm, respectful, and healthy environment. RAV MOSHE DAN KESTENBAUM

The students are comfortable here. They love their teachers and the faculty members and it becomes readily apparent that, as they spend more time here, Heichal becomes a home to them rather than just an “educational institution”. MR. CHAYIM TAUBER

It is rewarding to see a talmid who joins Heichal unsure of where he may be headed and, in just a few years, he has clarity as to what the Ribono Shel Olom wants from him. RAV DOVID KOMET

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Inspired Tefilah at

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t Heichal HaTorah

2012

HEICHAL

BY THE

Current Talmidim in Heichal High School

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Heichal High School

HEICHAL

DEC 1, 2012

SEPT 4, 2013

JUNE 9, 2015

SEPTEMBER 2017

Heichal was founded

First Day of Yeshiva with 17 talmidim

Heichal purchases the Jewish Center of Teaneck building

Heichal surpasses 100 talmidim

DEC 3, 2012

DEC 7, 2013

JUNE 14, 2017

First Open House

First Siyum and Concert with Benny Friedman

First Graduating Class

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NUMBERS

100% 98% 100% go to Israel/Yeshiva to learn after High School

98% go to Yeshiva & College program after Israel

TIMELINE AUGUST 22, 2019

DEC 26, 2019

Heichal HaTorah’s Tikva Program Featured in Wall Street Journal

Opening the Rozezadeh Bais Medrash

2018

ELUL 2019

2020

Heichal Hornets Win the NCYI JV Basketball League Championships

Opening of Heichal Bais Medrash Program

Heichal Surpasses 200 talmidim

RABBI DOVID NOJOWITZ National Director

Rabbi Aryeh Stechler Heichal HaTorah 70 Sterling Place Teaneck, NJ 07666

RABBI Zvi BLOOM Executive Director Dear Rabbi Stechler, RABBI JOSHUA LEVY Director of Accreditation Accreditation Commission RABBI MORDECHAI BESSER Chairman RABBI HAL KLESTZICK

620 Foster Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11230 212.227.1000 x4542 csetton@torah-umesorah.org

We applaud the efforts that Heichal HaTorah has taken to engage in the intensive accreditation project. Our visits to the school and the final accreditation process lead us to conclude that the Yeshiva is a very special institution focused on offering students a very fine program of study. In every way, Heichal HaTorah prepares its students for post-high school Yeshiva and university studies. The school is intentional in creating an atmosphere that is focused on its academic vision in the context of social-emotional health. The atmosphere created by senior administrators permeates interactions of stakeholders. It is a calm and honorable culture that creates an inspiring attitude among members. The environment draws people to their best regardless of individual circumstances. The school pursues every opportunity to maintain this culture in a spirit of camaraderie, achdus and spiritual growth. It is a Yeshiva that is to admired and emulated for its serious attention to education and thoughtful programming. May Hashem continue to bless the efforts of all those who work on behalf of Heichal HaTorah. Sincerely yours,

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Rabbi Joshua Levy Director of TU-Cognia Accreditation Partnership

SAMPLE SCHEDULES SHMUEL MARCUS GRADE 9

272 Wilbur Ave Bergenfield, NJ 7:55AM 8:40 AM 9:10 AM 11:15 AM 12:00 PM 12:40 PM 2:00 PM 2:25 3:15 PM 4:05 PM 4:50 PM 5:35 PM

Shacharis Breakfast Iyun - High Honors - Rabbi Pesach Skulnick Chumash/Halacha - Honors Rabbi Zevi Senter Lunch Bekius - Honors - Rabbi Dani Staum Mincha Recreational Break for Sports and Clubs Honors Biology - Mrs Deniera Goldenberg Algebra II - Rabbi Dovid Komet Tikva English - Rabbi Avi Heller Tikva History - Mr David Roher

SHMELKIE COHN GRADE 12

111 Passaic Ave Passaic, NJ 7:55 AM 8:40 AM 9:10 AM 11:15 AM 12:00 PM 12:40 2:40 PM 3:15 PM 4:05 PM 4:50 PM 5:35 PM

Shacharis Breakfast Iyun - Rabbi Michoel Parnes Chumash/Halacha - Rabbi Chaim Marcus Lunch Super Bekius - Rabbi Jason Finkelstein Mincha Finance and Investing - Mr Kevin Hannon Medical Ethics - Rabbi Yehuda Willig and Mrs Deniera Goldenberg AP English Comp - Mrs Esther Hertzfeld Computer Science - Mr Michael Binazeski

NIGHT SEDER - MONDAY AND THURSDAY 6:15 PM 6:55 PM 7:55 PM

Dinner, Sports and Clinics Night Seder Maariv and Dismissal

SUNDAY SCHEDULE 8:45 AM 9:10 AM 11:00 AM

Shacharis Iyun Bekius

FRIDAY SCHEDULE 8:45 AM 10:00 AM 11:30 AM

Shacharis Iyun Bekius

heichalhatorah.org

‘17

CLASS

‘18

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CLASS

100

CLASS

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101

‘20

CLASS

HEICHAL ALUMNI CLASS

Heichal Leadership Lay Leadership and Committees RABBINIC ADVISORY BOARD Rav Menachem Genack, CEO, OU Kosher Rav Mordechai Willig, Rosh Yeshiva, YU HEICHAL BOARD OF GOVERNORS Rabbi Simcha Katz, Chair Rabbi Josh Blass Avi Goldenberg Dr. Aron Schwarcz Gail Stechler HEICHAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Yehuda Jacoby, Founding President Avi Goldenberg, Past President Dr. Aron Schwarcz, Current President Avrom Forman Aliza Frohlich Avi Giloni Avi Goldenberg Betti Jacobson Rabbi Mark Karasick Nesanel Milstein (Advisor) Scott Rothenberg (Advisor) Rabbi Daniel Senter Aryeh Sheinbein Yudi Walden Aaron Wertentheil Tsvi Zilberstein

HEICHAL DINNER COMMITTEE Aliza Blumenthal, Chair HEICHAL FINANCE COMMITTEE Aryeh Sheinbein, Chair HEICHAL FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE Rav Menachem Genack, Chair HEICHAL HOUSE COMMITTEE Avrumi Frischman, Chair HEICHAL JCOT PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE Tsvi Zilberstein, Chair HEICHAL PARENT/ADMIN COMMITTEE Tzippy Staum, Chair HEICHAL RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE Rabbi Avi Epstein, Chair HEICHAL SECURITY COMMITTEE Betti Jacobson, Chair

heichalhatorah.org

HEICHAL TUITION AID COMMITTEE (Members are Confidential)

102

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EADERSHI

103

Educational Leadership Rav Aryeh Stechler, Rosh Yeshiva & Dean, ras@heichalHaTorah.org Rav Avi Oberlander, Jewish Studies Principal, rao@heichalHaTorah.org Rabbi Maccabee Avishur, Academic Dean and General Studies Principal, mavishur@heichalHaTorah.org Rav Daniel Schwechter, Mashgiach, rdschwechter@heichalHaTorah.org Rav Chaim Marcus, Mashpiah, rcm@heichalHaTorah.org Dr. Ari Klein, Director of Guidance, aklein@heichalHaTorah.org Rav Avi Epstein, Director of Admissions and Student Life, aviepstein@heichalHaTorah.org

Operational Leadership Teri Normand, Executive Director and CFO, Tnormand@heichalHaTorah.org Freda Bak, Business Manager, fbak@heichalhaTorah.org Arona Berow, School Office Manager, Administrative Coordinator, aberow@heichalHaTorah.org Aliza Blumenthal, Marketing and Development Coordinator, ablumenthal@heichalHaTorah.org Yitti Karfunkel, Executive Assistant to the Rosh Yeshiva, yk@heichalHaTorah.org Shimmie Katz, Chief of Staff, skatz@heichalHaTorah.org Rabbi Shimon Kronenberg, Facilities Manager, rsk@heichalHaTorah.org

Your future is bright @ heichal “I walk in with a smile and walk out with a smile.” Mudgie Neiman, Heichal Student “Heichal is a teacher’s dream - smart polite boys and an amazing environment. It feels like we are part of something that will alter chinuch in America for the better.” Rav Michoel Parnes, Heichal Rebbe “Heichal is a second home to both our boys and we are thankful everyday for all that they do!” Mendy & Yehudis Rosen, Heichal Parents “With top tier rebbeim and teachers, Heichal has been and will continue to be a wonderful Yeshiva experience for me.” Shlomo Dombeck, Heichal Student “I enjoy every second of Heichal! I have amazing friends, rabbeim, and teachers to guide me to my greatest potential!” Heichal Student

70 Sterling Pl, Teaneck, NJ 07666, United States Call us now! +1 201-335-0633